AI's populist moment

AI has hit the campaign trail, with candidates in both parties casting it as a fight over jobs and corporate power. Democrats and Republicans at the state level are testing whether anti-Big Tech messaging can compete with an industry pouring billions into AI infrastructure and political influence. Several Democrats this cycle are echoing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his critique of concentrated tech power. Some Republicans are adopting their own version, focusing on workforce disruption, energy costs and anger over tech companies. The rhetoric may differ, but the emerging populist AI playbook has the same target: Big Tech.