According to Axios, OpenAI is planning a public relations push after the upcoming midterm elections, which the report says could see Democrats regain the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. The company believes the midterms will preview the political terrain leading up to 2028, when artificial intelligence is expected to be a major campaign issue.
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, told Axios that the midterms will be “a bit of a movie trailer for what you’re going to see in 2028,” and that he expects AI to become “the issue” in the 2028 presidential election.
Proposed actions and messaging
Lehane outlined several proposals intended to shape future AI debates:
- Considering AI “speed limits,” i.e., limits or guardrails on the pace of AI development or deployment.
- Emphasizing messaging that presents AI as an empowering tool in people’s everyday lives.
- Encouraging a U.S. role in developing global standards and norms for AI.
- Rebranding data centers as “AI compute campuses” to change how these facilities are perceived.
Lehane characterized the conversation around data centers as “good and healthy,” saying communities should hold companies accountable so they receive genuine, transformative benefits from such projects.
Impact on major cloud providers
Axios notes that the public debate over data centers has already influenced large providers: community pushback led Amazon and Microsoft to announce they would stop using nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in negotiations with local governments.
Why this matters
OpenAI’s planned PR push touches regulatory, social and communicative dimensions. The company appears to be attempting to shape public perception of AI, influence the development of regulatory frameworks, and reduce local resistance to infrastructure projects. Reframing data centers as “AI compute campuses” is an effort to present investments in a less technical and more community‑oriented light.
As Lehane put it: “Communities should hold companies responsible and accountable so they really and truly get a transformative benefit from these projects.”
