How tech became the villain of the US midterms

Artificial intelligence and the datacentres built to support it have become prominent targets in US midterm campaigning. Candidates from both parties are using concerns about local impacts, corporate power and surveillance to attack opponents or distance themselves from the technology industry, making this election a major test of public reaction to the AI boom.

More than 150 campaign adverts have focused on datacentres or AI. Tech companies and their leaders have spent over $500m on elections and ballot proposals in 2026; Elon Musk has put $366m into Republican causes, while the pro-tech group Leading the Future has raised more than $75m. Polls still rank the economy, democracy and healthcare above tech, but datacentres have become a tangible focus for voter concerns.