With the possibility of a Democratic landslide victory in the midterm elections, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari has offered a glimpse into the party’s agenda on AI, drawing a reaction from tech mogul Elon Musk. Contesting the midterm elections from Arizona, Yassamin Ansari spoke about a possible pause on AI development, stringent regulations on the industry’s unchecked progress, and a ban on superintelligence.
“Top of the Democratic agenda on day 1 needs to be a pause on advanced AI development, regulation of this out-of-control industry, and a ban on artificial superintelligence”.
Her post was reposted by Elon Musk with the caption, “It’s a Brave New World”. While Musk did not add any other details to his post, considering his interests in AI development and the establishment of AI data centers, the comment could be interpreted as a sardonic jibe at the new direction Democrats plan to take.
In the past, under Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona invited AI investment with tax breaks. However, a backlash followed, prompting new laws to halt those incentives. Mayes also called for a moratorium on new builds in the past. The changing scenario has prompted political leaders to approach the issue of AI data centers differently.
Mayes had previously stated that Arizona could continue to pursue a tech-driven economy without courting data centers. She pointed to a $265 billion facility built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in Phoenix, whose products may well be destined for data centers, as an example of the type of project that she said could create more jobs than AI computing hubs, as reported by Politico.
She further added, “We don’t need fifty more data centers in the state of Arizona, and according to my staff’s research, that’s what’s on the books right now.” Water consumption is a major challenge for Arizona, and its water shortages have pushed officials to propose measures to curb the soaring growth of data centers.
Democrats and AI regulation
Democrats have been cautious about AI development from the outset, which could spell trouble for tech magnates like Elon Musk, who has invested heavily in candidates opposed to regulation. Until now, Republicans have been hesitant to regulate the technology, citing the AI race with China and economic incentives as reasons to maintain a federal policy focused on innovation.
Some leaders in the tech world have been more vocal about the need for legislation, but federal measures have yet to become a major part of the agenda. Voters have also become increasingly concerned about the technology. More than 80% of both Republican and Democratic voters supported candidates who favoured AI safeguards, according to polling from The Alliance for Secure AI. Several candidates campaigned on promises to introduce data center moratoriums and AI regulations.
Michigan Democratic Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed said in a 60 Minutes interview that addressing the risks posed by AI was his top priority. Democratic Rep.-elect Manny Rutinel flipped a seat in Colorado after sponsoring an early comprehensive AI bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff also addressed AI in his victory speech.
The measures proposed by Democrats vary, but all seek to limit data center development in some way. In Defiance, Ohio, a proposal was passed that bans data centers exceeding 25 megawatts. In Perry, Ohio, a measure requires hyperscale data centers seeking tax breaks to post bonds and meet noise limits.
According to data from Cleanview, newly elected governors could pause 41% of the planned data centers in the United States.