Just two weeks ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, highlighted restrictions on advanced semiconductor chips as a crucial tool to sustain America’s edge in frontier artificial intelligence (AI) compared to China. Speaking at a Brookings Institution event in Washington on Wednesday, Himes acknowledged that the United States may not maintain its lead over Chinese AI development indefinitely but stressed the importance of slowing the spread of advanced chip technology to China for as long as possible.
Himes, who is part of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” group of congressional leaders briefed on classified national security issues, made his remarks during a panel titled “AI on the ballot: Data centres and the 2026 midterms.” The event examined local resistance to data centre construction and broader questions surrounding the global expansion of AI infrastructure. Recent polling ahead of the November elections indicates Democrats may reclaim control of Congress, with a Reuters/Ipsos survey showing Democrats leading Republicans 47 percent to 35 percent on the generic congressional ballot.
Experts at the event debated how chip production limitations might influence the technological race between the United States and China. Kyle Chan, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, pointed to China’s chip manufacturing capacity as the critical bottleneck restricting its ability to meet domestic demand and expand AI data centre infrastructure internationally. “In the near term, we are not competing with China for building AI data centres abroad,” Chan said, adding that China’s chip shortage hampers its competitiveness outside its borders.
Looking further ahead, Chan noted that several Chinese companies are preparing to expand their footprints globally by offering cloud computing and AI services. Should China overcome its chip production challenges, these firms could potentially present integrated offerings that combine AI models, hardware, and energy supplies, mirroring elements of China’s Belt and Road Initiative aimed at fostering global trade.
The panel also underscored differing obstacles faced by the two countries. The United States contends with energy constraints, chiefly connecting data centres to sufficient power grids, while China struggles primarily with limited chip supply. Chan observed that China views computing infrastructure as a component of national strategic development and has been actively expanding its data centre capacity despite these restrictions.
Himes addressed allegations that foreign adversaries, including China, may be amplifying local opposition to data centre projects through inflammatory messaging. While acknowledging widespread claims of such interference, he admitted there was no definitive evidence to confirm these activities.
The discussion highlighted the strategic significance of semiconductor technology and infrastructure development in shaping the future AI landscape and underscored ongoing geopolitical tensions as the U.S. and China vie for dominance in emerging technologies.