OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane has proposed a five-part artificial intelligence policy agenda for the 2028 U.S. presidential election, calling for stronger safety standards, worker protections, education initiatives, and continued investment in AI infrastructure. The proposals, published on November 4, 2026, compare the economic disruption associated with AI to the conditions that prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.
In an essay titled “2028: The AI Election”, Lehane argued that political candidates should develop policies addressing public concerns over employment, affordability, corporate power, and technological control. His remarks followed the November 3 midterm elections, in which Democrats gained control of both chambers of Congress amid voter concerns over living costs.
OpenAI Proposes Five AI Policy Priorities
Lehane’s proposals focus on AI safety and human oversight, taxation and economic participation, child protection and workforce preparation, affordability, and American technological competitiveness. He called for enforceable safety standards, independent assessments, public oversight, and mechanisms to restrict or shut down potentially dangerous AI systems.
On economic policy, Lehane suggested tax incentives for workers acquiring AI skills, improved access to capital for entrepreneurs, and new approaches to employee ownership and profit-sharing. He argued that these measures could help distribute the economic benefits generated by AI.
The proposals also include age-appropriate safeguards for children using AI companions and greater access to AI-powered educational tools. Lehane warned that excluding AI from public schools while wealthier students retain access could increase educational inequality.
Data Center Development Draws Political Scrutiny
Lehane defended continued investment in AI infrastructure, emphasizing construction employment, local tax revenue, and the importance of maintaining American competitiveness with China. He also acknowledged concerns over electricity costs and argued that infrastructure projects should avoid transferring additional expenses to local residents.
Opposition to data center construction became an issue in several races during the 2026 midterm elections. Lehane warned that widespread restrictions on new facilities could affect U.S. computing capacity and technological competitiveness.
AI Now Institute Questions OpenAI’s Proposals
Kate Brennan, who leads AI and corporate power policy at the AI Now Institute, questioned the proposals in comments to TechCrunch. She argued that Lehane’s agenda emphasized expanding AI adoption without establishing sufficient measures to prevent economic benefits from becoming concentrated among technology companies.
Brennan suggested considering corporate tax reforms, incentives for retaining human workers, and policies limiting excessive market power. She also questioned OpenAI’s support for stronger safety standards given its previous opposition to certain regulatory proposals.
In 2024, OpenAI opposed California’s SB 1047 AI safety legislation, which included requirements for catastrophic risk assessments and shutdown capabilities. The company subsequently supported several state-level safety measures and expressed openness to independent AI safety evaluations.
Brennan said the proposals relied on assumptions that widespread AI adoption would produce public benefits, while questions remained over accountability and the distribution of economic gains. OpenAI did not provide additional comments to TechCrunch before publication.
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