Artificial Intelligence in 2028
Federal AI policy, the regulation of AI systems, AI's effects on jobs, and the U.S. competitive position in AI.
Artificial intelligence emerged as a transformative technology in the early 2020s, with rapid advances in large language models and other AI systems creating both enormous economic potential and significant concerns. Governments around the world began grappling with how to regulate AI while remaining competitive.
The policy debate involves multiple dimensions: safety and risk from advanced AI systems, privacy and data rights, the impact of AI on employment across many sectors, the use of AI in critical decisions like hiring or lending, and how the U.S. should approach AI development relative to China.
Congress was slow to pass comprehensive AI legislation, leaving a patchwork of state laws, executive actions, and voluntary industry commitments as the regulatory landscape heading into 2028.
Why it matters in 2028
AI may be the single technology most likely to reshape the economy over the next decade. The 2028 president will set the tone for federal AI regulation, international competitiveness, and how the government itself uses AI - decisions with far-reaching consequences for jobs, privacy, and national security.
How each party frames artificial intelligence
A neutral summary of each party's general governing approach. Individual 2028 candidates will differ - no nominee has been chosen yet.
Democratic approach
Democrats broadly favor establishing federal guardrails for AI - including requirements for transparency, accountability for harms, and civil rights protections - while also investing in U.S. AI research and competitiveness. Many in the party emphasize the risks of AI to workers, voters through disinformation, and historically marginalized groups through biased systems. There is support for international AI safety standards and cooperation.
Republican approach
Republicans broadly favor light-touch regulation of AI to preserve American innovation and competitiveness, particularly relative to China. The party tends to oppose new federal regulatory frameworks as burdensome and favors industry self-governance and market competition. Some Republicans emphasize the national security dimensions of AI leadership. There is growing interest within the party in AI as a tool for reducing government costs and improving efficiency.
What voters ask about artificial intelligence
- Should the federal government regulate AI, and how?
- What would candidates do about AI's effect on jobs and workers?
- How should the U.S. compete with China in AI development?
- What protections should exist against AI bias in hiring, lending, or criminal justice?
- Who is responsible when an AI system causes harm?
Other 2028 issues
How 2028 candidates plan to manage economic growth, consumer prices, and the cost of living.
Border enforcement, legal immigration pathways, and the future of undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
Federal and state abortion policy after the Supreme Court returned the issue to state legislatures in 2022.
Health insurance coverage, drug prices, and the long-running debate over the structure of the American health system.
Federal tax policy, including the expiring provisions of the 2017 tax law and disputes over who pays what.
Employment levels, minimum wage, union rights, and the future of work in an era of automation and AI.