AI and the 2026 Midterms: A Lobbyist’s Guide

• Governor Newsom launched a first-in-the-nation AI Cyber Defense Program to secure state networks and respond to digital incidents. • The program uses artificial intelligence to identify system vulnerabilities and harden networks against attacks.

• World leaders called for stronger artificial intelligence safeguards during the UN General Assembly. • South Korea announced plans to establish a global AI hub involving international organizations, industry, and academia to address climate change, health, and food security.

• Retailers and luxury brands in North Asia are seeing increased spending as a result of the regional artificial intelligence boom. • Morgan Stanley economist Kathleen Oh reported on September 17 that Korean spending dipped in July before rebounding in September.

• Asian and European stock markets rose recently as falling oil prices and artificial intelligence optimism boosted technology shares. • South Korean stocks gained 0.9 per cent and Taiwan's benchmark index rose 0.8 per cent toward all-time peaks.

• Shardul Shah of Index Ventures discussed on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast how AI-powered attacks are forcing a complete rebuild of the cybersecurity industry. • Shah highlighted the scale of current investment by noting Google's $32 billion acquisition of the cloud security startup Wiz earlier this year.

• DataCouch announced the launch of its Agentic AI Chatbot Development Services on September 23, 2026. • The firm is offering full-stack services to move enterprises beyond traditional conversational bots toward agentic AI, which can independently execute complex tasks.

• AI agents are gaining access to enterprise data, systems, and tools, creating a new class of active identity that requires specialized permissions, monitoring, and governance. • Guest author Itay Sagie believes the market for AI agent security will form around specific control points, making precise positioning crucial for startups to capitalize on M&A opportunities.

• European stock markets are struggling this morning despite a solid session in New York yesterday and decent overnight gains in Asia. • Oil futures fell yesterday amid hopes of the latest Middle East peace deal, with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian involved in the discussions.

• The Verardo Group publishes a daily brief on its Substack, providing readers with top headlines and updates on various topics. • The brief covers a wide range of subjects, including defense, national security, economy, business development, technology, and government issues, giving readers a comprehensive overview of current events.

• WEtech Alliance is focusing on artificial intelligence, or AI, as it becomes more capable and its importance grows. • Recent developments have shown that entrepreneurs and organizations will need practical skills, informed leaders, and clear policies to effectively use AI.

• Crusoe is developing smaller modular facilities to reduce community opposition to enormous data center developments, as the company works to scale AI infrastructure. • The company has received a $3.9 billion financing round, following a $1.38 billion raise less than a year earlier, demonstrating aggressive investment in AI physical expansion.