Key facts
- Democrats are testing if backlash to Big Tech can be a political force in 2028.
- Concerns over AI, data centers, and surveillance are linked to economic anxieties.
- Michigan's House race is a key battleground for this political argument.
- Democrat William Lawrence is challenging a Republican incumbent in Michigan.
Democrats are exploring whether public backlash against Big Tech can become a significant political factor leading up to the 2028 elections. This strategy connects concerns about artificial intelligence, data centers, and surveillance with growing economic insecurities and frustrations. The argument is being made in various campaigns nationwide, with progressives linking the expansion of AI and data centers to increased energy costs, potential job losses, privacy issues, and the influence of tech billionaires. The race in Michigan is highlighted as a particularly intense arena where this dynamic is playing out. OpenAI's top lobbyist, Chris Lehane, views this backlash as a reflection of "anxiety driven by modernity" and anticipates that issues of personal control will be central to the 2028 elections, with AI acting as a "force multiplier."