OpenAI is already trying to shape the 2028 election

We haven't even finished processing the fallout from the current political cycle, yet OpenAI is already pitching the script for 2028. Chris Lehane, the company’s policy chief and a veteran of the Clinton era, is making the rounds with a specific vision: he wants artificial intelligence to be the defining issue of the next presidential race. But he isn't just talking about chatbots; he's talking about a fundamental rewrite of the relationship between big tech and the federal government.

The Proposed Social Contract

Lehane’s pitch centers on a new social contract. The logic is simple, if a bit convenient: AI companies get the massive infrastructure they need—data centers, energy grids, and regulatory breathing room—and in exchange, the public gets a slice of the pie. This could look like subsidized access to tools, public investment dividends, or revamped educational programs. It is a classic political maneuver. By framing AI as a national necessity on par with the interstate highway system, OpenAI is trying to make their corporate success synonymous with national prosperity.

For those of us building in this space, this feels like a double-edged sword. On one hand, having a seat at the table ensures that the industry isn't regulated into oblivion by people who don't understand how a large language model works. On the other hand, when a single company attempts to define the rules for everyone, the "social contract" usually favors the person holding the pen.

A Founder’s Perspective on Infrastructure

From a builder's viewpoint, the infrastructure part of this proposal is the most interesting. We are currently facing a massive bottleneck in compute and power. If OpenAI successfully lobbies the government to treat AI infrastructure as a public good, it could lower the barrier to entry for smaller startups. However, if that infrastructure comes with strings attached—or if it is designed specifically to support the architectural needs of massive transformer models—it might stifle innovation in alternative AI approaches.

We have seen this play out before with telecommunications and social media. The companies that help write the laws usually end up with the widest moats. If OpenAI can convince the next administration that AI is the primary engine of economic growth, they ensure their own longevity regardless of whether their specific products remain the best on the market.

The Politicization of the Tech Stack

The danger here is the total politicization of the technology stack. When a company tries to shape an election four years in advance, they aren't just looking for favorable taxes. They are looking to embed their technology into the very fabric of governance. Lehane’s background in high-level Democratic politics suggests he knows exactly how to play this game. He is positioning AI as the solution to the middle-class squeeze, suggesting that productivity gains from AI can solve the stagnant wage problem that has plagued the U.S. for decades.

But as founders, we have to ask: at what cost? If AI becomes the central pillar of a political platform, every update, every bias, and every hallucination becomes a political liability. We are already seeing the friction that occurs when models are perceived to have a political leaning. By leaning into the 2028 election this early, OpenAI is inviting a level of scrutiny that could make development much more difficult for the rest of us.

What This Means for Developers

If you are building an AI startup today, you need to watch this space closely. The "social contract" Lehane is proposing will likely dictate how data can be used, who owns the output of generative models, and how much you’ll have to pay for electricity. Here are the core implications for the ecosystem:

• Regulatory Capture: The bigger the contract, the higher the walls. If the government starts subsidizing specific types of AI development, smaller players may find it impossible to compete outside of those sanctioned lanes.
• Public Sentiment: By tying AI to political promises, OpenAI is gambling with public trust. If the promised economic boom doesn't materialize for the average voter by 2028, the backlash against the entire industry could be severe.
• Energy and Hardware: Any federal move to bolster the power grid for AI is a win for builders. This is the one area where corporate lobbying and founder interests align perfectly.

The Skeptical Takeaway

We should be wary of any "social contract" offered by a company valued at over a hundred billion dollars. OpenAI is not a public utility, even if they want to be treated like one when it comes to subsidies and protection from liability. They are a profit-driven entity trying to secure a dominant market position before the next wave of competition hits.

The 2028 election will likely be the first cycle where the majority of voters have spent years interacting with AI daily. OpenAI knows this. They want to ensure that when a candidate talks about the future of the American economy, they are using OpenAI’s terminology and relying on OpenAI’s infrastructure. For the rest of the industry, the goal is to make sure we don't get squeezed out of the conversation before it even begins.

Takeaway for Builders

Don't wait for the federal government to hand out the benefits of this new social contract. Focus on building resilient, energy-efficient, and utility-driven applications that don't rely on political whims. The infrastructure boost may be coming, but the strings attached will be heavy. The best way to survive a politically charged tech environment is to be too useful to ignore, regardless of who is in the White House in 2028.

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