The Real AI Risk for Corporations? Losing Influence.

Earlier this week, President Trump and Sen. David McCormick announced a $90 billion public-private investment in AI and energy innovation centered in Pittsburgh. The announcement was striking, not just for its scale, but because it signals a new phase in how AI is being used to build influence in American politics.

This moment offers a lesson to corporate America. The Washington conversation around AI has focused almost entirely on regulating the companies building the technology. But there’s a broader risk being overlooked: any company adopting AI, tech or not, needs a public affairs strategy now, or it will lose the ability to influence policy, avoid backlash, and maintain trust.

That’s because the public doesn’t trust this technology yet. According to KPMG, only 46% of people globally trust AI systems, and 70% believe governments need to step in with regulation. What’s more, industry leaders and economists have sounded the alarm that AI adoption could lead to widespread layoffs. For companies embracing the technology without explanation or engagement, that’s not just a reputational problem, it’s a threat to their license to operate.

Unions are already negotiating AI adoption rules to protect their members. The International Longshoremen’s Association secured a moratorium on automation at major East Coast ports. SAG-AFTRA recently ended a year-long strike in the video game industry, winning protections that require consent and compensation for the use of AI-generated likenesses. These are signals AI policy is quickly becoming central to corporate labor negotiations and companies should work to get ahead of it.

What’s missing from many corporate AI strategies today is a public affairs layer. The most sophisticated technology in the world won’t help if you lose the public, the workforce, or elected officials. And while it’s easy to pin this as a “tech industry” issue, AI is a general-purpose technology. Its political consequences will be as widespread as its business uses.

There’s precedent for what’s needed. In the early 2000s, the internet industry learned the hard way that invention alone doesn’t build political capital. A 2000 Los Angeles Times article called Big Tech’s pivot to lobbying “an about-face for an industry that once fancied itself too busy inventing the future to worry about government policy.”

That stance quickly changed. As influence in Washington and state capitols became entwined with business outcomes, tech companies invested in visibility, community engagement, and policy storytelling. In particular, they showed how their technologies benefited real people. And it worked.

They built that influence on three pillars: trust, relevance, and reach.

To earn trust, they got ahead of the narrative. The public is uneasy about AI. Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer shows widespread concern about privacy, dehumanization, and harm. Corporate silence only deepens that suspicion. But trust can be earned through transparency and human-centered messaging. Some companies are already showing how to do it. Microsoft’s “Putting People First” initiative positions AI as a tool to empower, not replace, workers. Amazon has aired national ads showing how AI protects consumers from fake product reviews. Google’s “AI in 50 States” campaign localizes the issue with real stories from every congressional district. When companies explain not only what AI is doing, but also what it isn’t, they reduce fear and increase legitimacy.

Tech companies also expanded their reach beyond markets and into public understanding. During the Stop Online Privacy Act fight in the early 2010s, websites demonstrated this masterfully. Faced with legislation that threatened core parts of the internet, they blacked out their websites for a day, triggering an overwhelming grassroots backlash. Millions contacted Congress and legislation collapsed. People acted because they finally saw how the issue affected them.

Finally, relevance came from literally showing up. Once concentrated on the coasts, tech companies soon expanded into communities across America's heartland. Amazon offers public tours of its fulfillment centers, giving people a firsthand look at how automation and AI operate in real-world settings, demystifying the technology. Likewise, during the rise of cloud computing, Microsoft and Google announced new data centers as local investments tied to job creation, sustainability, and economic growth. These weren’t just infrastructure projects, but political signals showcasing technology in districts where policy is shaped.

Non-tech companies must now do the same. Public affairs teams need to meet stakeholders where they are, not just in D.C., but through local partnerships, reskilling programs, and civic forums tied to AI deployment. In an era when technology makes communication feel less personal, physical presence is powerful.

This strategy works, and Pittsburgh proves it. The Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation summit brought together some of the largest leaders in technology, energy and politics. Senator McCormick said, “Not since the days of Andrew Carnegie has so much economic power gathered in one Pittsburgh room.” That kind of moment doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of deliberate, sustained influence-building.

In the race to adopt AI, companies have a rare opportunity to shape the narrative and build lasting influence, but only if they invest in storytelling and not just technology.