PODCAST:
June 17, 2026 ~ Bridge Michigan’s Lauren Gibbons joins Kevin to discuss what Michigan’s Senate candidates are saying about AI.
MICHIGAN ~ AI technology is becoming a flash point in the 2026 midterm elections, leading to Michigan Senate candidates making policy proposals during their campaigns.
One candidate who has been vocal about creating checks on AI companies is Abdul El-Sayed, who has called for the partial public ownership of AI data centers and to regulate them as public utilities, said Bridge Michigan reporter Lauren Gibbons. He has also expressed concerns over the water and energy use seen with data centers.
His Democratic primary opponents, Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow, are calling for some regulations and job protections if they were to become senators, but stopped short of public ownership.
“All the candidates recognize that AI is something that is going to have to be reckoned with, and what role the government plays remains to be seen,” Gibbons said.
As for Republican candidate Mike Rogers, he has been more supportive of AI development, aligning with President Donald Trump’s push for the U.S. to lead AI development globally. He also wants to see Michigan be a center of AI infrastructure, Gibbons added.
