A Democratic political organisation has launched a new initiative to shape public opinion on artificial intelligence (AI), as party leaders increasingly view regulation of the technology as a potential political advantage over President Donald Trump's pro-industry position.
The organisation, Tomorrow Together, was among several groups that challenged the technology industry's massive campaign spending during the US midterm elections. It spent $6.5 million supporting candidates advocating tighter restrictions on AI and data centres.
Its latest initiative, initially backed by $1.1 million, was announced as Democrats gathered in Denver for the two-day What's Next conference to assess their midterm victories and discuss strategies ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
The move also follows fresh warnings about AI-related risks as technology companies enter a new development phase in which AI systems could create newer versions of themselves.
Maddie Kriger, the group's chief programme officer, said effectively addressing the issue would be crucial to winning voters' support. She also warned that further AI-related incidents could occur in the coming year.
Democrats believe Trump's opposition to stronger AI regulation has created an opportunity for them to position themselves as advocates of safeguards on the rapidly advancing technology.
David Shor, a prominent Democratic data analyst, described AI as an emerging political issue, noting that voters from both parties generally support regulation.
Karthik Ganapathy, a co-founder of Tomorrow Together, also expressed confidence that Democrats had an advantage over Republicans on the issue.
However, some Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump's industry-friendly approach, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to consider another presidential bid.
Rob Flaherty, another co-founder of the organisation, said voters had initially been uncertain about which party to trust on AI. But he argued that Trump's position had since given Democrats an advantage, adding that public opinion favoured technology regulation.