OpenAI outlines policy priorities for 2028 presidential election

OpenAI has initiated a formal policy advocacy campaign intended to influence the political agenda for the 2028 U.S. presidential election. Chris Lehane, the company’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, released an essay on Nov. 4, 2026, titled “2028: The AI Election,” which details five core policy pillars for future candidates.

The proposed framework calls for federal action on AI safety, tax reform, worker retraining, child protection, and the construction of data centers, which the company refers to as compute campuses. Lehane argues that these measures are necessary to maintain technological competitiveness against China and to establish a new social contract for the current era of development.

Lehane characterizes this approach as a third path, positioned between the extremes of unregulated AI advancement and restrictive control by a self-appointed elite. He suggests that candidates who adopt this framework could define the political discourse for the upcoming election cycle, which is expected to be the first wide-open Democratic primary since 1992.

The proposal has drawn criticism from industry observers. Kate Brennan, a director at the AI Now Institute, stated that the document advocates for the interests of private corporations and described the framework as historically inaccurate and potentially harmful. She argued that the plan fails to provide meaningful protections for workers.

OpenAI intends to continue its advocacy efforts throughout the congressional lame-duck session starting Nov. 9, 2026, and extending into the new year as the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2027. The initiative follows the 2026 midterm elections, during which the role of AI and infrastructure development emerged as a significant topic of political debate.