Artificial intelligence is not yet a major issue in the US midterm elections, despite its growing prominence in Washington and political campaigns, a New York Times/Siena poll suggests.
Fewer than 1 per cent of voters surveyed – 11 people among more than 1,500 – said artificial intelligence or data centres was the most important issue in deciding their vote.
That places the subject alongside a wide range of second-tier concerns, including education and gun policy, rather than the economy and immigration, which are helping to define the national campaign.
Voters uncertain over party positions
The poll also found that voters were yet to form a clear view of which party would handle artificial intelligence and data centre policy best. Republicans held a narrow advantage, with 42 per cent choosing them compared with 40 per cent for Democrats.
More significant than the two-point gap, however, was the level of uncertainty: only 82 per cent of voters expressed a preference between the parties. That compares with 97 per cent who had an opinion on which party they trusted more on immigration.
The uncertainty remained among people who said they were almost certain to vote and those who regularly participate in primary elections, suggesting that the issue has not yet become firmly established among the most politically engaged voters.
Voters have opposed data centres in the poll, while Democrats have generally been more opposed to artificial intelligence. But the findings indicate that many people are still unsure of their own position, the parties’ positions, or both.
The political picture may change quickly. In the roughly ten days since the poll questionnaire was finalised, concerns about artificial intelligence security have emerged as a significant policy issue with the potential to become a point of dispute between the parties.
Artificial intelligence could still influence individual congressional contests, particularly in areas where data centre construction has become a prominent local issue. Over the longer term, its economic effects could also have substantial political consequences across the developed world.
For now, though, the poll suggests the issue has yet to make the leap from a concern held by smaller interest groups to one capable of shaping the national midterm vote.
