The Guardian view on the AI backlash: American voters want a say in their future | Editorial

The article argues that US voters are pushing back against the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, and that the recent Democratic gains give politicians an opportunity to regulate the industry. It says investors’ retreat reflects doubts about whether huge AI spending will deliver the profits expected, while communities are concerned about the costs of data centres.

The sell-off wiped $3.2tn from markets in Wall Street’s worst day since the pandemic; Nvidia lost more than $400bn in value, and Elon Musk lost $113bn in two days. The editorial says Democrats campaigned on data-centre impacts including electricity prices, water use and local disruption, and may pursue independent safety testing, clearer liability and protections for workers. It also notes that AI was cited as a reason for 120,000 US job losses this year, and calls for productivity gains to be shared fairly.