Big AI's Million-Dollar Bet on the Midterms: Who Will Write the Rules?

Artificial intelligence has become a major force in the 2026 US midterm elections, with industry groups spending hundreds of millions of dollars to elect candidates who might write the rules governing the controversial technology. This unprecedented flood of money represents a direct attempt by the AI sector to shape the regulatory landscape before it solidifies. Yet this spending is splashing against a backdrop of growing public anxiety around AI's rising energy costs, potential job destruction, sprawling data centers and existential risk. Voters are increasingly concerned about the technology's impact on their daily lives, from electricity bills to employment prospects, creating a tension between industry interests and public sentiment. The scale of the spending and the intensity of public concern suggest that AI policy will be a defining issue in the midterms. How candidates navigate this divide could determine not only the outcome of races but also the future direction of one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era.