Exclusive OpenAI is already pitching 2028 hopefuls on how to talk about AI

Top lobbyist Chris Lehane warns candidates that backing a data center moratorium could help China overtake the U.S.

By Owen Dahlkamp 11/02/2026 5:00 AM EST

OpenAI’s top lobbyist is privately telling prospective 2028 candidates that artificial intelligence will define their bids for the White House.

In a memo circulated among some contenders and obtained by POLITICO, Chris Lehane argues that candidates need a governing philosophy for AI, not just talking points about key issues dominating the campaign. He warns that Democrats, in particular, could find themselves on the wrong side of the debate if they oppose the infrastructure needed to build the technology.

A fight over data centers could have consequences far beyond local projects, Lehane warns. If the U.S.…