Show Notes
Is AI really on the ballot in 2026? The answer is yes — and here's why it matters.
Congress has passed zero federal AI laws. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping America's energy grids, threatening jobs, and flooding elections with deepfakes and disinformation. In this premiere episode of AI on the Ballot, we break down why artificial intelligence has become a front-line issue in the 2026 US midterm elections.
We speak with Roy Austin Jr., Director of the AI Initiative at Harvard Law School and former VP of Civil Rights at Meta, and Miranda Nazzaro, Senior Technology Reporter at The Hill, about what voters actually need to know heading into November.
In this episode: Why data centers are driving up your electricity bill The jobs debate — is AI creating or destroying them? The federal vs. state AI regulation fight Deepfakes, disinformation, and the 2026 election What question every voter should ask their candidate on AI
AI on the Ballot is a weekly election series covering the 2026 US midterms through one lens — artificial intelligence. New episodes every Wednesday through November 3, 2026.
A production of Regulating AI in association with GIE Foundation
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AI on the Ballot is a non-partisan program of Regulating AI, a 501(c)(3) organization. Views expressed by guests are their own. Appearances do not constitute an endorsement.
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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.