Candidates Commit to an Agreement Ensuring Action on Data Centers and AI Security

Dan Osborn was wrapping up his fourth town hall last Sunday when he encountered a “hardcore MAGA” supporter. Osborn, an independent candidate for the US Senate in Nebraska challenging Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts, noted that initially, he and the man had little in common.

“Then I asked, ‘What’s your opinion on AI and data centers?’” Osborn recounts. “Immediately, we found ourselves in total agreement.”

Osborn is among over 15 candidates nationwide who have endorsed the AI Pact, which consists of five commitments regarding the regulation of both AI and data centers. As concerns about data centers have surged during the midterm elections, politicians are rushing to alleviate voters’ apprehensions about their environmental effects, the lack of transparency in their development, and the corporate influence involved. The pledge aims to establish “a needed baseline to ensure a humanity-first future,” according to its website.

The pact is a branch of the Political Integrity Project, an organization that fights against money in politics and has a similar commitment for candidates. Daniel Lobo-Lewis, one of the co-founders, explains that the five promises within the AI Pact—such as mandating safety evaluations for AI models, supporting policies that create an AI dividend for workers, and ensuring legal avenues for consumers and businesses harmed by these models—were developed through collaboration with AI safety organizations and other political groups focused on AI legislation. (Lobo-Lewis clarifies that while funding for the AI Pact comes from a progressive political action committee, no direct funding comes from AI safety organizations or tech companies.)

All current signatories of the pledge, aside from Osborn, are Democrats, although Lobo-Lewis insists that Republican endorsements are welcome. Some signers have centered their campaigns on resisting data centers and Big Tech, including Representative Justin Pearson, a Tennessee Democrat who gained national attention opposing pollution from SpaceX’s data centers, and Will Lawrence, a progressive candidate who secured a competitive primary in a Michigan district hostile to data centers.

The pledge does not explicitly call for a moratorium on data centers but advocates for “supporting policies that would eliminate tax breaks, backroom negotiations, and excessive energy consumption for these facilities.” This deliberate phrasing is intended, Lobo-Lewis explains, to serve as a “floor” for candidates to endorse—particularly those closely linked to labor interests. (Recently, several labor unions have reiterated their backing for data center development.)

“Candidates in competitive districts are intensely focused on affordability, job creation, and reducing expenses,” states Alexander McCoy, a progressive strategist addressing AI issues. “Some might hesitate to dismiss data center projects entirely if they promise to assist in those areas. However, AI is predicted to be highly disruptive if safeguards aren’t established. So, is it worth generating construction jobs now at the expense of undermining future opportunities for other workers in your district?”

When I spoke with Osborn, a Navy veteran and labor advocate, about his stance on a moratorium, he conveyed that data centers could deliver “significant infrastructure and numerous jobs.” Nevertheless, Osborn, who is campaigning in rural regions where anxious farmers fear losing their land to development, asserts that Congress must take action to regulate data centers.

“We need to get this right,” he maintains. “Calling for a pause right now doesn’t seem unreasonable.”