OpenAI plans a policy and PR offensive after the US midterm elections

According to a report by Axios ("Behind the Curtain" column, November 1, 2026), OpenAI plans to launch a public policy and PR push right after Tuesday's midterm elections. The goal is to sync up with Washington's new reality, in which Democrats are expected to win the House of Representatives. Axios notes that it has a content and technology licensing agreement with OpenAI.

The article frames this as AI companies going from two years with a friendly White House to a tougher Washington. OpenAI also wants to shape the AI debate among 2028 presidential hopefuls, whose field will start to take shape on the Wednesday after the election. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, describes Tuesday as an "electoral portal from one era to the next" and says you can either "chase the moment" or "inform the moment through the power of ideas."

Since August, Lehane and his team have been stockpiling policy proposals, some new and some reframed, to build urgency and steer the debate. The rollout will begin during Congress's lame-duck session, the weeks between the election and the swearing-in of new lawmakers on January 3. This year it starts on November 9.

The article adds that other tech companies are also positioning themselves for a possible "blue wave." It mentions that Meta is reportedly strengthening its ties with Democrats, according to an exclusive by Sara Fischer published on Saturday. Big Tech companies on good terms with President Trump would be prime targets for Democrats, who want to step up scrutiny and regulatory pressure.

According to Axios, all of the proposals are built around control: the message that AI is being built for people, not to displace them. They fall into four areas.

First, "speed limits." Building on earlier proposals, OpenAI will put forward new ideas for mandatory safeguards on the most powerful AI systems so that humans keep their "hands on the wheel." This will include a more aggressive push in Congress. Lehane says people must always remain in control of the technology and have more say over how it shapes their lives and communities.

Second, data centers. OpenAI wants to blunt the bipartisan, nationwide backlash by offering "community pacts" and commitments to ease future projects. It will also try to set a new industry standard by proposing state legislation that gives people a real voice in how projects are built and what benefits they receive. In a deliberately provocative rebranding attempt, it will argue that its infrastructure should be called "AI compute campuses," capable of economically transforming host communities. As an example, it points to a large project in Pike County, in Ohio's Appalachian region, that promises thousands of jobs. Lehane calls the conversation "good and healthy" and says communities should hold companies accountable.

Third, economic opportunity. OpenAI is developing ideas to help more people see AI as empowering in their daily lives and at work: support for workers facing disruption, broader access to education and training, and making it easier to start and grow businesses.

Fourth, international cooperation. OpenAI will push for the U.S. to shape global standards with AI built on democratic values.

Reading between the lines, Axios sees OpenAI seeking a people-centered "third way" beyond the doomer-versus-accelerationist divide. It notes that Sam Altman, speaking before the UN Security Council in September, called for an approach to AI that leads to a "new Renaissance of creativity and discovery."

Lehane argues that "AI is going to be the issue in 2028" and that the midterms are "a movie trailer" for what's ahead. He says simply saying "AI is bad" won't be enough, and that the public will be looking for "their FDR or their Lincoln." He suggests candidates should be grappling with trust, the anxiety of modernity, and discontent with the social contract and the American dream.

In closing, the article presents these plans as just the start of an effort to inject urgency into Washington and push the industry toward safety at the technological frontier. Lehane says his priorities reflect the rapid improvement in capabilities and that he expects them to carry over into the new Congress.

Editor's note: this summary is based solely on the text received. The proposals are statements of intent, not measures already adopted, and the article does not detail their specific content.