Should AI Chatbots Be Regulated Like Therapists? | Claire Leibowicz on AI Companions & Safety

In Episode 5 of AI on the Ballot, Congressman Ted Lieu, Professor Aziz Huq, and Ben Winters tackle the urgent question: who really governs AI in America? With Congress yet to pass a comprehensive federal AI law, states like Colorado and New York have stepped in — only to face federal pushback. This episode explores the battle between state and federal AI regulation, the risks of deepfakes and AI fraud, and the national security stakes in the U.S.–China tech race.

Ohio might be the most important state in America for understanding how AI is reshaping politics — and Congressman Greg Landsman doesn't hold back on why.

In Episode 3 of AI on the Ballot, we go inside the Colorado race. On the record. Non-partisan. With the candidates and voices shaping how Colorado answers the questions every state is now facing: Who pays for the AI economy? Who regulates it? And what happens to Colorado workers as the technology reshapes the economy?

Maine just banned data center construction statewide. More than 30 states have introduced 300+ data center bills in 2026. Washington and the states are at war over who gets to write the rules on AI. And underneath it all, AI is already shaping what voters read, believe, and decide heading into the midterms.

Here’s a tighter Spotify version that keeps the strongest themes and avoids sounding too promotional: Who gets to decide what the future of AI looks like? Recorded live at the University Club during the UN General Assembly, Sanjay Puri speaks with Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and an AI Policy 100 honoree, about AI governance, safety, regulation and the growing tension between Big Tech, governments and communities. They explore the backlash against AI data centers, AI’s impact on energy and water, the future of work, AI sovereignty, the Global South, and why democratic institutions—not just technology companies—must have a say in shaping the AI future.