AI, data center fears could be key in Michigan Democratic Senate primary

Abdul El-Sayed, one of the progressive candidates for the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 4 Michigan Senate primary, sees a fundamental risk in the rise of artificial intelligence. And he believes fears about emerging technology and the data centers that support it could play a crucial role in the race.

“Really, there isn’t a single conversation I have or a pause that I take where data centers and AI don’t come up,” El-Sayed told CNBC. “This is an issue I hear about everywhere, and as always, it’s one of those issues that D.C. has been slower to pay attention to than the rest of the country.”

El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and former public health official, is part of a cadre of left-wing Democratic candidates, some of whom are making major inroads in New York. colorado The organization has been trying to upset its candidates in recent weeks. And like many progressivesEl-Sayed has taken a more hostile position on AI and data centers than Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate opponent of the technology. implicit support Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DY

Tight races are critical for Democrats if they want to flip the Senate. El-Sayed and Stevens will try to defend Senator Gary Peters seat, a Democrat, He’s cumming. Primary winner will face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers, in the general election. Report Politically with Amy Walter he considers the race to be a “toss up”.

It can also be seen as a fight in a larger civil war roiling the Democratic Party, with progressives and moderates fighting for control. El-Sayed and Stevens’ split on artificial intelligence and data centers could be a test case for Democrats on how to message on the issue going forward.

“There are a lot of people in a lot of places who will learn from the outcome of this race,” he said. Tyler SimkoAssociate professor of political science at the University of Michigan. “People will try to deduce the applicability of such progressive arguments regarding data centers and artificial intelligence.”

While Michigan isn’t in the top 10 for the number of AI data centers, there are 77 currently operating in the state. a single public databaseAnd more on the way — anti-data center sentiment appears to be building in the state. across the country fears of artificial intelligence in general they are on the rise, final vote He found it.

El-Sayed says he has a plan.

In January “terms of engagement” for data centers. El-Sayed has refrained from calling for a moratorium on their development, as some of his supporters, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-Y. I did it recently. But he promises to impose strict barriers to development in these countries, including job guarantees, pledges not to raise public services, and environmental protections.

And earlier this month he made a statement multifaceted policy reining in AI, which includes public ownership of the technology, an AI dividend paid to the public, forced divestitures of AI developers from big tech companies, and a new tax on AI automation.

“The idea that we should allow the world’s largest corporations, billionaires who are not accountable to any of us, to develop technology that could fundamentally change the nature of the human experience, without democratic oversight in my opinion, is insane,” El-Sayed said. “AI may be a new technology, but democracy is an old technology. And I trust that this old technology will hold this new technology accountable.”

Meanwhile, Stevens, who has represented Michigan’s 11th Congressional District since 2019, has been less vocal.

A spokesman noted that he was the top Democrat on the list. House Research and Technology Subcommittee and served bipartisan House Artificial Intelligence task force At the last Congress.

He also co-chaired the legislation. Became law in 2020 — promoting research to identify deepfakes and helping write the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which aims to invest in AI security programs and increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

According to his campaign, Stevens has a four-pronged approach to combating AI risks. They include expanded job training to guard against job loss, ensuring human control of AI technology, and ensuring algorithms are not used to discriminate in areas such as employment, education and housing.

On data centers, Stevens’ campaign said he is working to ensure they create union jobs but do not lead to higher utility costs.

“Congress must take concrete steps to ensure that not a single Michigan job is lost and not a single Michigander sees their costs increase as a result of AI — I want to reduce costs and create new jobs in Michigan,” Stevens said in an emailed statement. “As our world and Michigan’s economy adapt to new technologies, I will always fight to protect our workers, create good-paying union jobs, and support Michigan families.”

His campaign made him ineligible to be interviewed for this story.

El-Sayed and Stevens argued over health care; He himself advocated for universal Medicare and co-wrote a paper. 2021 book On the issue, Stevens advocated expanding the Affordable Care Act and creating a government-run health insurance program..

Throughout the race, El-Sayed needles Stevens for taking corporate money, which he suggests explains his relatively moderate stance on artificial intelligence.

“It’s not clear that they’ve come up with any original thinking in this campaign about how to actually tackle these issues. And they’re taking money from all the campaigns.” Companies that are part of the problem“Therefore, it is not surprising that they have nothing constructive to say about this,” El-Sayed said.

He also repeatedly attacked Stevens for his support of Israel. Significant campaign contributions from pro-Israel groups.

Stevens, meanwhile, cast El-Sayed as an extremist and publicity hound. El-Sayed has a passion for creating cool social media videosComparisons were made to those of New York City Mayor and fellow leftist Zohran Mamdani. He described himself as the more experienced candidate with the best chance of defeating Rogers in this November’s general election.

“I’m not trying to sell a book or a podcast,” Stevens said in his opening remarks to Tuesday’s debate. “I’m the only person on this stage who doesn’t have a talent agent trying to offer me paid speaking engagements. And unlike my opponent, I don’t run to the first microphone or camera I see.”

Tuesday’s debate was the first time El-Sayed and Stevens faced each other since the contest became a two-way race. During the debate, Stevens said data centers should pay their fair share, but he also wants Michigan to be “at the forefront of innovation and manufacturing.”

“I’ve visited hundreds of manufacturing shops. They’re using this technology. We want the jobs. We can’t afford to force workers to pay for it,” Stevens said.

State Senator Mallory McMorrow had laid out her own detailed plans. AI security And data centers at the beginning of this year suspended his campaign On July 5th. Says he won’t support head-to-head match after nearly draw According to post-debate poll.

But in an interview with CNBC days before suspending his campaign, McMorrow harshly criticized El-Sayed’s artificial intelligence proposals.

“I saw a headline about the candidate with his plans. Further left than Bernie on AI“That might be good for the Democratic primaries, but I also don’t believe it’s particularly realistic,” McMorrow said. “There just seems to be an attempt to go to the far left.”

McMorrow and other critics questioned the feasibility of El-Sayed’s proposal; Along with 50% public ownership and direct payments to Americans, the proposal also includes expanded unemployment benefits and the creation of a Food and Drug Administration-style safety testing agency to test emerging artificial intelligence technology within the federal government.

Others argue that such restrictions could stifle innovation and hinder the United States in the AI ​​race, instead favoring foreign rivals such as China.

El-Sayed denied these allegations. He countered that it would be full ownership rather than the 50 percent proposed by the more left plan. And if implemented correctly, he believes his proposal would keep big companies accountable while keeping the United States competitive.

“I think this is a technology that has the potential to change the world. We can harness it to do really great things for humanity, or we can harness it to do really dangerous things for humanity,” El-Sayed said. “My concern is not the technology itself, but the incentive that drives the development of technology. And those incentives are now for maximum profit.”