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An Amazon data center under construction in New Florence, Missouri, United States, on Nov. 9, 2026. /AP-Yonhap

As Democrats gain control of Congress and state governments following the U.S. midterm elections, concerns are growing over tighter regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). However, technology executives believe that even if new regulations take shape, they are unlikely to have a significant impact on the industry and are proceeding with their existing business plans, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday.

In Congress, Democratic lawmakers may pursue various forms of regulation focused on AI safety. These could include requirements for AI models to undergo testing before being released to the public.

Major companies have recently called for mechanisms that would allow laboratories and governments to coordinate and slow the pace of AI development, creating time for research.

Several technology executives told the WSJ Leadership Institute that none of the AI regulatory bills introduced or being considered in Congress would pose problems for their companies' AI businesses.

They believe new regulations would have limited impact because AI companies have already established their own internal safety guidelines and standards.

They also believe that existing AI models are already capable enough to meet their technical needs, making it unlikely that a slowdown in AI development would disrupt their future business plans.

"It feels like we're entering uncharted territory," said Prakash Kota, Chief Transformation Officer at UKG, a U.S.-based human resources and workforce management software company. "Companies have more responsibility to define these issues."

"If policies are introduced that give us greater confidence, people who are more risk-averse will also be more willing to participate," he added.

"We already operate under strong standards for governance, privacy, security and human resource management, and we expect these principles to remain important under any regulatory framework," said Dave Treat, chief technology officer of Pearson, a London-listed education company. "Thoughtfully designed regulation can help build trust and provide clarity."

                                                                                                             Kim Hyun-min