ABOUT THE FORUM
AI is reshaping the political information environment.
Foundation Forum 2026 brings together the people seeing those changes firsthand in journalism, policymaking, campaigns, political spending, technology, and democratic practice.
At the center of the afternoon is new evidence: a national survey of 1,500+ likely 2026 midterm voters — among the first to measure who is turning to AI chatbots for election information, how much they trust the answers they get, and whether those answers are shaping how they think about politics and their vote.
Two hundred seats. One month before the midterms. First the data — then the conversation about what it means.
THE RESEARCH
Debuting on stage: one of the nation's first benchmark studies of voters and AI in a federal election.
Foundation Forum 2026 opens with the live release of a new AAPC Foundation national survey of likely 2026 midterm voters, measuring:
- Who's using AI chatbots for election information — and for what
- How much voters trust it — and whether it's shaping their decisions
- How use varies by party, demographics, and competitiveness
- Where voters stand on AI ads, deepfakes, and disclosure
This research launches the AAPC Foundation's AI Election Initiative — a recurring national benchmark tracking AI's impact on campaigns and democratic participation.
THE FORMAT
No panels. Candid conversations.
One month before the midterms, the Forum brings together the people measuring this change and the people experiencing it — journalists, policymakers, political spenders, campaign practitioners, and technology leaders — all in one room, in one afternoon.
One subject. One interviewer. Twenty minutes.
The Data
The findings. A first look at how voters are actually using AI for election information — followed by a conversation about what surprised us.
The Coverage
What the story looks like beyond the data. A national political reporter on how AI is changing the way voters find information, campaigns communicate, and journalists cover an election.
The Legislator
The regulatory fight. What it means to legislate AI while AI money is actively shaping political races.
The Money
The other side of the fight. How AI-focused political spending is choosing races, shaping messages, and trying to influence the debate.
The Practice
What campaigns are doing now. A bipartisan conversation about generative search, measurement, AI-assisted creative, and what is actually changing this cycle.
The Close
So what does all of this mean? What happens to politics when the way voters find, evaluate, and trust information changes.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
If your work sits anywhere at the intersection of politics, technology, media, or public policy, this conversation is for you.
- Political professionals
- Journalists
- Policymakers and staff
- Academics and researchers
- AI policy and trust teams
- Public-affairs professionals and research funders
ABOUT THE AAPC FOUNDATION
The AAPC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to championing and protecting the right to political expression through research, education, and leadership development in the digital age.
The Foundation is the charitable affiliate of the American Association of Political Consultants, the bipartisan professional association of the political consulting industry. It produces independent research, convenes practitioners, researchers, journalists, and policymakers, and develops the next generation of political professionals.
All Foundation research is conducted by independent research firms selected through a competitive process. The Foundation retains sole editorial control over research design, findings, speakers, and publication of results. Support is acknowledged with a neutral description of the supporter; acknowledgment does not constitute endorsement and does not include promotional or comparative claims.
Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Tax ID: 20-5985242.