Democratic Congress to Increase Scrutiny of AI Expansion

Democrats’ victory in the November 2026 midterm elections, giving the party control of both chambers of Congress, is expected to increase scrutiny of artificial intelligence and data-center development. Analysts say the result alone is unlikely to immediately change U.S. technology spending or the broader policy direction of President Donald Trump’s administration. Democrats will take control of the House and Senate in January 2027, while Trump retains executive powers, including over immigration and trade, and can veto legislation. A report by the Bank of Korea’s New York Representative Office said the election was unlikely to alter the administration’s overall policy direction, though it could have limited effects on AI regulation and investment pace. Experts cited several pressures that could combine with congressional scrutiny to influence AI investment: high infrastructure costs, borrowing demands and questions about whether companies will earn expected returns. Yang Junseok, an economics professor at the Catholic University of Korea, said new policy initiatives might add to those concerns, but the election alone was unlikely to have an immediate, tangible effect on...