Voters’ concerns about artificial intelligence and the data centers that keep it running have gained prominence during the midterm election cycle, prompting questions about how the federal government could regulate the industry. AI’s rapid growth over the past few years has generated policy debates in all levels of government. A Pew Research Center poll in August found that 71% of people surveyed are worried AI will replace jobs done by humans over the next 20 years.
‘Dumbfounds us all’: Congress struggles with policies rippling from AI development AI chatbots have sparked safety concerns, including a recent lawsuit from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin against OpenAI, alleging it hid ChatGPT’s risks from users. Some states have passed laws preventing ChatGPT and other chatbots from giving mental health advice in light of young users’ suicides. Data centers’ water and electricity usage has sparked local backlash nationwide, including in several Arkansas communities where officials have butted heads over regulations.
Potential AI and data center regulations have been floated in Congress, though President Donald Trump has dismissed the call for new guardrails. One of Arkansas’ Republican U.S. senators, Tom Cotton, is up for reelection in November. Cotton faces two challengers, Democrat Hallie Shoff, and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin. All three have said in interviews that they support giving Arkansans a vote on whether a data center is built near them.
Hallie Shoff, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate race in Arkansas, answers questions during the debate against Libertarian Jeff Wadlin on Monday, October 12, 2026 at the Arkansas TV studios in Conway, Arkansas. (Photo by Katie Adkins/Arkansas Advocate)
Here’s what else they had to say about AI and data centers: Shoffner calls for more transparency Shoffner said Arkansans have asked her questions about data centers at every event she’s held since launching her campaign last year. Arkansans are curious about new forms of industry that might affect their daily lives, and current officeholders aren’t answering their questions, she said. “They want industry that comes in and provides jobs, but they want transparency about what those industries are, the impacts that they’ll have on the community, and whether or not they have a say in whether something is built in their own backyard or not,” Shoffner said. She said city and county residents should be able to vote on the construction of a nearby data center. Shoffner also said she would support the creation of a federal agency to monitor and regulate the AI industry. She compared the idea to how the Environmental Protection Agency regulates fertilizers that introduce chemicals into the food supply when sprayed on crops. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask to have that same kind of administration when it comes to AI,” she said.
Arkansas Explained: Understanding the data center boom and debate Cotton calls for ‘targeted’ regulation Cotton did not respond to a list of emailed questions from the Advocate. Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, told 40/29 News in September that he has discussed “both the promise and the risk” of AI with the White House, the Pentagon and the CIA. Arkansas Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (Photo by John Sykes Jr./Arkansas Advocate) He said he’s spoken to Arkansans about how they use AI in their daily lives, “whether it’s a routine to help them get over an achy knee or an achy back, or maybe developing a summer reading or math plan for their kids.” Cotton has introduced a bill that would allow data centers to build their own power grid so their construction and use doesn’t siphon power from local communities and increase residents’ utility bills. He supported another measure by fellow Republican U.S. Jon Husted of Ohio that proposed standards fo
