As potential contenders begin positioning themselves for the next presidential race, artificial intelligence developer OpenAI is working behind the scenes to shape how prospective 2028 candidates approach the technology. Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s top lobbyist and a veteran Democratic strategist who served as press secretary to former Vice President Al Gore, has circulated a private memo among about half a dozen prospective candidates, key members of Congress, and prominent political operatives.
The document argues that artificial intelligence will serve as a defining issue of the upcoming White House race, urging hopefuls to move beyond standard talking points and formulate a comprehensive governing philosophy. According to an individual familiar with the document who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the memo attempts to influence the national debate as both political parties look past the upcoming midterm elections toward the 2028 cycle.
Lehane cautions that Democrats, in particular, risk aligning themselves incorrectly on the issue if they resist the physical infrastructure required to sustain rapid technological growth. The lobbyist draws a sharp geopolitical comparison, warning that if the United States cedes its global leadership in artificial intelligence to China, the political fallout could mirror the long-term consequences of historical foreign policy decisions. In the memo, he writes that losing this technological race “could well be the 2028 version of the 2002 vote to go to war in Iraq.”
To navigate the shifting political landscape, Lehane advises candidates to chart a middle course between two extremes: allowing unchecked technological development without guardrails, or centralizing control of the technology among a restricted elite. The memo suggests that the candidate who successfully articulates a compelling third path between these approaches will have an opportunity to redefine the social contract for a new technological era, comparing the current historical moment to the political reorganization of the 1932 New Deal.
The strategy document points to early signs of artificial intelligence influencing political debates, noting that public pushback against unpopular data center projects often serves as a proxy for broader voter anxieties regarding economic affordability and a fractured social contract. While acknowledging that communities have valid concerns regarding electricity costs and that not every infrastructure project is beneficial, Lehane argues that policymakers must address those practical challenges rather than treating the underlying infrastructure as the root problem.
Looking toward 2028, the memo encourages prospective candidates to address several core policy questions, including how to maintain human oversight over consequential decisions, how to adapt the tax code for an automated economy, how to protect children, and whether artificial intelligence can lower the cost of living while securing the nation’s technological lead over China. Lehane asserts that the eventual standard-bearers for both parties will need to demonstrate practical leadership rather than offering false promises to halt technological progress.
“The successful candidates won’t promise to stop the future or simply trust everything will work out,” Lehane writes in the memo. “They’ll show Americans how to shape that future and benefit from it.”
