Iowa and Ohio Voters Back AI Safety Rules

A poll of likely voters in Iowa and Ohio found that 67% in each state favor reasonable AI safety rules even if the United States does not always lead the global AI race. Inquire, a firm run by Republican pollster Rob Schmidt, surveyed 501 likely Iowa voters and 504 likely Ohio voters from October 19 to 22; the margin of error was 4.4 points in each state. Ashley Gold first reported the results for Semafor, and the polling memo does not identify who paid for the poll. Both states have Senate races Republicans are trying to retain, ahead of the November 3 midterms.

All ten AI rules tested drew at least 73% support in both states. Keeping the most dangerous AI out of enemy hands received the highest backing: 94% in Iowa and 93% in Ohio. Stronger parental controls won 90% and 93%, while government safety testing before deployment earned 85% and 87%. Requiring chatbots to disclose that they are AI drew 81% and 85%. Bans on chatbot relationships with minors and on self-harm instructions were the least popular proposals, but still received 73% to 77% support.

The poll memo said Republicans viewed AI more favorably than Democrats, yet Republican respondents in both states preferred safety rules over fewer regulations: 50% to 39% in Iowa and 56% to 38% in Ohio. Voters were evenly split on which party to trust on AI in Iowa, at 43% for Republicans and 43% for Democrats; in Ohio, Republicans led 43% to 39%. More than seven in ten respondents in both states said they would be more likely to support a Senate candidate who backs AI safety measures. Overall, more voters said they disliked AI than liked it: 44% versus 37% in Iowa and 44% versus 36% in Ohio.

A separate Heatmap Pro poll by Embold Research this month found that 71% of respondents opposed a data centre near their homes. Republican support for a nearby data centre had risen to 34% from 23% in August. The White House has emphasized US leadership in “super intelligence.” Spokesperson Liz Huston told Semafor that President Donald Trump was committed to keeping the country ahead while protecting consumers; earlier this month, his administration’s AI task force told labs to report rogue model behavior.

The AFL-CIO, the largest US federation of labor unions, is drafting AI legislation for lawmakers to consider in the next Congress, federation president Liz Shuler told Semafor. She said the bill would address worker protections, privacy and data protection, and AI’s economic impact, and called it the federation’s top priority. Shuler linked public opposition to data centres with anxiety about workplace change and said she expects AI-related job losses to weigh more heavily on politics. The federation’s AI principles received bipartisan support in an April letter led by Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, which urged worker protections in federal AI policy. Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno has criticized Anthropic’s Dario Amodei for what he called alarmist AI rhetoric.

A poll of likely voters in Iowa and Ohio found that 67% in each state favor reasonable AI safety rules even if the United States does not always lead the global AI race. Inquire, a firm run by Republican pollster Rob Schmidt, surveyed 501 likely Iowa voters and 504 likely Ohio voters from October 19 to 22; the margin of error was 4.4 points in each state. Ashley Gold first reported the results for Semafor, and the polling memo does not identify who paid for the poll. Both states have Senate races Republicans are trying to retain, ahead of the November 3 midterms.

All ten AI rules tested drew at least 73% support in both states. Keeping the most dangerous AI out of enemy hands received the highest backing: 94% in Iowa and 93% in Ohio. Stronger parental controls won 90% and 93%, while government safety testing before deployment earned 85% and 87%. Requiring chatbots to disclose that they are AI drew 81% and 85%. Bans on chatbot relationships with minors and on self-harm instructions were the least popular proposals, but still received 73% to 77% support.

The poll memo said Republicans viewed AI more favorably than Democrats, yet Republican respondents in both states preferred safety rules over fewer regulations: 50% to 39% in Iowa and 56% to 38% in Ohio. Voters were evenly split on which party to trust on AI in Iowa, at 43% for Republicans and 43% for Democrats; in Ohio, Republicans led 43% to 39%. More than seven in ten respondents in both states said they would be more likely to support a Senate candidate who backs AI safety measures. Overall, more voters said they disliked AI than liked it: 44% versus 37% in Iowa and 44% versus 36% in Ohio.

A separate Heatmap Pro poll by Embold Research this month found that 71% of respondents opposed a data centre near their homes. Republican support for a nearby data centre had risen to 34% from 23% in August. The White House has emphasized US leadership in “super intelligence.” Spokesperson Liz Huston told Semafor that President Donald Trump was committed to keeping the country ahead while protecting consumers; earlier this month, his administration’s AI task force told labs to report rogue model behavior.

The AFL-CIO, the largest US federation of labor unions, is drafting AI legislation for lawmakers to consider in the next Congress, federation president Liz Shuler told Semafor. She said the bill would address worker protections, privacy and data protection, and AI’s economic impact, and called it the federation’s top priority. Shuler linked public opposition to data centres with anxiety about workplace change and said she expects AI-related job losses to weigh more heavily on politics. The federation’s AI principles received bipartisan support in an April letter led by Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, which urged worker protections in federal AI policy. Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno has criticized Anthropic’s Dario Amodei for what he called alarmist AI rhetoric.