AI on the ballot: Data centers and the 2026 midterms

Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 10:00 — 11:30 a.m. EDT
The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium
1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, D.C., 20036

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As the 2026 midterm elections approach, artificial intelligence has become an increasingly important issue in races across the country. Voters are weighing the costs and benefits of new data centers in their communities, and policymakers are grappling with those local concerns alongside the national security implications of building AI infrastructure abroad. At the same time, AI-enabled interference has raised concerns about the integrity of the information ecosystem, particularly during elections. 

On October 21, the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at Brookings will host an event to explore how decisions about where AI is built and how it is used have become part of the choices facing voters this fall. The event will feature a fireside chat with Rep. James A. Himes (D-Conn.) on AI and the elections, followed by a panel discussion with Brookings experts on the economic, community, and geopolitical dimensions of data center development.

This event will be open to attend in person or watch online. Online viewers can submit questions in advance via email to events@brookings.edu.

Welcoming remarks
Elham Tabassi, Senior Fellow and Director, Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, Brookings 

Fireside chat
The Hon. James A. Himes (D-Conn.), U.S. House of Representatives 
Elham Tabassi, Senior Fellow and Director, Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, Brookings

Panel discussion
Kyle Chan, Fellow, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings 
Mark Muro, Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro
Anthony F. Pipa, Senior Fellow, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings
Thomas Wright, Senior Fellow, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings
Moderator: Valerie Wirtschafter, Fellow, Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, Brookings

Closing remarks 
Sanjay Patnaik, Bernard L. Schwartz Chair in Economic Policy Development, Senior Fellow, and Director, Center on Regulation and Markets, Brookings