OpenAI is preparing a lobbying and public relations push in Washington after the US midterm elections, according to Axios. The company expects a harder fight if Democrats win control of the House.
Axios reports that big tech companies with close ties to President Trump now face growing regulatory pressure after two years under a friendly administration. Rivals such as Meta are already building relationships with Democrats.
OpenAI policy chief Chris Lehane plans to shape the AI debate through 2028 with a mix of new and repackaged proposals. The central message is that AI does not replace people. To support that message, OpenAI is proposing binding safety rules that build on earlier ideas. Lehane calls them "speed limits."
The company is also responding to local opposition to data centers. Axios reports that OpenAI wants to rebrand these facilities as "AI Compute Campuses" and is promising economic benefits to host communities.
Lehane says the company's top priority in the new Congress is fast-tracking safety rules for frontier models.