Big Tech companies are actively working to address the growing public concern and backlash against the rapid development of artificial intelligence. This includes hosting community listening sessions, such as the event held by OpenAI in July for about 1,000 Georgia residents near Savannah, where the company plans to build a new data center. These efforts aim to win public support, offer guaranteed jobs, and manage the narrative around AI's impact.
A significant aspect of this push involves lobbying for federal AI regulation. With midterm elections approaching, the White House is proposing a package that combines AI preemption — a comprehensive federal law to override state-level regulations — with child online safety legislation, specifically Senator Marsha Blackburn's Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). This strategy is seen as a desperate attempt by Big Tech to establish a unified regulatory framework, avoiding a patchwork of state laws.
However, this legislative maneuver faces considerable challenges. The proposed deal linking AI preemption with child safety has caused confusion among lawmakers, as the White House reportedly failed to inform House Republicans and some Democrats about the specifics of the plan. There are also significant differences between the House and Senate versions of KOSA, particularly regarding the "duty of care" provision for tech companies. Additionally, the tight legislative calendar before the general election makes the passage of such a complex bill highly unlikely.
The public backlash is not solely focused on regulatory issues but also on the direct impact of AI infrastructure. The construction of massive data centers, essential for AI operations, has become a major election issue, with candidates and voters expressing strong opposition due to environmental concerns and other local impacts. This sentiment was highlighted by Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Democratic Senate nominee, who noted, "People really effing hate data centers." Companies are attempting to alleviate these concerns through community engagement and financial incentives.
Another facet of the backlash is the growing consumer dissatisfaction with "AI slop"—low-quality, AI-generated content. Users are also concerned about privacy and control over their data, such as Meta's defunct feature that allowed AI deepfakes without explicit consent. These broad public sentiments are forcing Big Tech to recalibrate its approach to AI development and public relations.
