Why Is AI On The Ballot?

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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