Welcome back to our โMeet the Candidatesโ series, where the congressional candidates respond to a question in 100 words or less. Answers are published every Monday.
CA-11, the congressional district that Connie Chan and Scott Wiener are running to represent includes most of San Francisco. Some southern neighborhoods (the Excelsior, Portola, Visitacion Valley and Ingleside) are a part of a neighboring district.
Many voters in San Francisco, and across the country, have concerns about AI. It is replacing peopleโs jobs and could be used for nefarious purposes.ย
Plus, itโs also behind a massive expansion of data centers, which people oppose because the centers can be noisy for nearby residents, increase the cost of electricity, and hurt the environment because of the large amounts of power and water they require.ย
Because of these concerns, grassroots pushback across the stateย and the countryย has already caused some data center plans to be shelved.
Now, some politicians are calling for a nationwide data center moratorium, which would halt construction of large, AI-focused data centers across the United States until concerns about AIโs economic, environmental and safety impacts have been addressed.
But other politicians are opposed to a moratorium, citing, among other reasons, that it would hamstring efforts by U.S.-based AI labs to continue developing cutting-edge models, allowing AI labs in countries like China and the United Kingdom to develop improved models first.
Both State Sen. Scott Wiener and Supervisor Connie Chan have expressed a desire to regulate AI at past debates and in their platforms. But they have different views on a national data center moratorium: State Sen. Scott Wiener opposes it, while Supervisor Connie Chan supports it.ย
This week, we asked the candidates to explain the reasoning behind their stance on a data center moratorium, color coding their answers according to that issue. We also asked: Do you think that ensuring American AI labs stay on the cutting edge globally should be a top consideration when writing AI regulations?
Mission Local color codes the answers to yes/no questions. A green background means the candidate answered yes, a red background means no, and a yellow background means that the candidate dodged the question.
Scott Wiener
- Job: San Francisco’s State Senator
- Age: 56
- Residency: Homeowner, moved to San Francisco in 1997
- Transportation: Public transit and walking
- Education: Bachelorโs degree from Duke University, law degree from Harvard University
- Languages: English, Spanish
We should avoid hampering technological progress unnecessarily, but we must not repeat the mistakes of social media and data privacy, where we allowed a technology to go completely unregulated, thus harming the public. Iโm the only candidate in this race whoโs shown the ability and determination to take on Big Tech and pass real regulation with my AI safety law.
We must avoid a data center Wild West, where they locate in inappropriate locations and raise electric bills. However, a blanket data center moratorium could undermine AI regulation.
AI companies will, and already are, building data centers overseas, which removes potential leverage.
See Wiener’s full answer here.
Endorsed by: The California Democratic Party, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sierra Club, San Francisco YIMBY, Grow SF, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, North Coast States Carpenters Union, Dolores Huerta … read more here.
Connie Chan
- Job: San Francisco District 1 Supervisor
- Age: 47
- Residency: Homeowner, has lived in San Francisco since she was 13
- Transportation: Driving, public transit, and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis
- Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
America can lead the world in AI without asking working people and communities to bear the costs of that leadership.
Thatโs why Iโm fighting for a nationwide data center moratorium until Congress establishes comprehensive rules governing the economic, environmental, and safety impacts of AI. And Iโm proud to be the only candidate in this race to sign the AI Pact, which pledges a people-first approach to AI and accountability for the companies developing and deploying it.
We also cannot allow politicians to claim they support AI regulation while being bankrolled by Big Tech billionaires and corporate special interests.
See Chan’s full answer here.
Endorsed by: Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, Congressman Ro Khanna, California Federation of Labor Unions, SEIU California, San Francisco Labor Council, Working Families Party, San Francisco Tenant’s Union … read more here.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically and rotated each week. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at io@missionlocal.com or yujie@missionlocal.com.ย
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
Wiener touts a law he wrote and got passed. Chan sites a non binding promise to do something. This is why I like wiener. He actually writes and passes the laws/changes he campaigns on. Pay attention to what they do vs what they say.
A vote for Wiener is a vote for Connon Johnston style politics.
the bill that Newsom said he’d veto, but Weiner put in anyway. The one Newsome did veto, like he said he would, but Weiner uses for political leverage? That one? Because that’s what Weiner does. He is a very professional politician who plays politics exceptionally well. Don’t get played.
First law was vetoed and then he got sb53 passed. He doesnโt give up when road blocks happen. He also made Gavin veto the bill so Gavin has something he is accountable for. Writing laws and making legislators vote on said laws is how we keep these folks accountable. Platitudes and resolutions are crap.
Weiner’s record is terrible. Also, he said he wouldn’t back a moratorium. Which means he wouldn’t stop someone from putting a data center in your backyard.
Touting an “AI Safety Law” rings hollow when your ideal use of AI is impersonating your political opponents to lampoon them
I spent half my childhood in rural Pennsylvania, in a county that preferred Trump to Clinton in 2016 and Trump to Harris in 2024 (I am not sure about 2020). But there is now a near pitchfork rebellion going back there against these data centers, one that could unite urban Democrats and rural Republicans, because we are in a David versus Goliath battle: https://open.substack.com/pub/zabethsue/p/letter-to-columbia-county-pennsylvania-d0f?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=s27m1
I’m tired of this faux-progressivism some Democrats are getting behind (Weiner), especially in San Francisco… even more now after the news that the San Francisco DCC has endorsed a No on Proposition 40, really telling of where everyone’s morals are.
Let’s go Chan!
Campers,
I say ‘Full Speed Ahead’ !!!
Cause I have a disease that only AI can cure.
Old age.
go Niners !!
h.
Connie Chan never fails to disappoint
I so hate how successful SF politicians never go away. Like Newsom and Harris, Wiener will likely keep rising up the ranks, and we’ll be represented at ____ level by someone we don’t like but who is at least better than a Republican.
He’s an awful legislator, always choosing the most ridiculous, expensive way to do simple things. Remember when he wanted to make everyone a mandatory reporter of abuse? Or when drug companies gave him money to support the city paying thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars for PreP when condoms are more effective and cheaper?
He sucks, and he’ll probably win.
100%
> America can lead the world in AI without asking working people and communities to bear the costs of that leadership.
Now what is that supposed to mean??
This is a rebuttal to Wiener’s claim that companies will simply build data centers in other countries if we try to impose safeguards. Chan is staking a good governance position that we can continue to lead technologically while putting some limits in place.
What about the โlead the worldโ? Raise your hand if you think you understand what that means. If we implement skynet first does that count? What is the goal?
Scott’s failed bill was horribly flawed and newsom made it clear he’d veto it, but Scott didn’t make it “passable”, instead he just put it in there for “the message”, wasting everyone’s time and money for a performance.
Chan, discussed that AI is using a lot of power and water, which adds to the demand and increases prices for everyone. (This is obvious when you think about it) so these AI companies are basically being subsidized by the residents of CA. *WE* are all paying more for electricity and water because of those big corporations who are raking in profits. So, those multi billion dollar corporations should be made to offset that increased cost to US. That’s not some socialist evil nimby whatever, that’s about as basic as it gets.
Scott is preparing for Skynet in the future (which is legitimate to some level) with speculative and vague legislation that he knew was going to be vetoed ahead of time. Chan is concerned that AI companies are making massive profits while increasing the cost of living for California residents.
I don’t know man. Weiner really has his supporters wrapped around his fingers. They *want* to believe. Meanwhile he literally puts whole websites together using AI to attack Chan. He’ll probably win, and we’ll be stuck with him forever, because he’s sooooooo good at manipulating the press and people. If Chan sucks, she can get the boot in 2 years.