With the 2026 election now in the rearview mirror, attention turns to 2028. And if you thought AI and Big Tech dominated this year, just wait until two years from now. That is according to a top official with the company OpenAI. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, recently warned that AI will be the defining issue of the 2028 presidential race. In a memo to government officials, Lehane noted the historical implications of the issue, warning the next president could redefine "the relationship between the people and a transformative new force in their lives."
This year's election cycle was dominated by fear mongering over AI (mostly by Democrats) and public opposition to data centers used to power the technology. But Lehane argues that blocking or restricting AI infrastructure could hand the technology to China or other foreign adversaries and put the U.S. at risk.
Larry Ward, CEO of the tech firm Market Rithm and an early advocate of AI, agrees with Lehane's assessment, but notes there is no easy answer. "This isn't a government solution, this isn't a Silicon Valley solution, this is an 'all of us' solution," he tells KTRH. "At every single level and at every single industry, we all have to come to grips with it."
Ward acknowledges that some of the fears and concerns surrounding AI are legitimate, but the answer is not to smother the technology or lock it up. "Having government control AI is a terrible idea," he says. "But at the same time, having Silicon Valley giants control it is also a very terrible idea."
"So it's got to come down to freedom and liberty for people to be able to use it, but we also have to build guard rails around it, so that it doesn't do harm."
The trick for any candidate in 2028, especially those running for the White House, will be to find a balanced solution to harness the power of AI while addressing the concerns around it. "We have to decide what AI needs to be in service of humanity, not the other way around," says Ward.
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