How dealmaking and tech could fare under Kamala Harris
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The Democrats haven't officially chosen their new presidential candidate, but if they go with Kamala Harris, the business and tech world could get a slightly friendlier face than Joe Biden.
Why it matters: The Republican ticket is a bit of a mixed bag — while Donald Trump has taken some new pro-tech positions lately, he's also chosen a former venture capitalist as his running mate in J.D. Vance, who supports FTC chair Lina Khan's aggressive antitrust moves.
The big picture: While Harris isn't expected to depart notably from Biden's existing course when it comes to business and tech, we're watching for whether she'll take a slightly friendlier tone towards tech companies than her current boss has. Some key issues:
Antitrust: Though she's moved a bit to the left over the years, she hasn't historically pushed for a wholesale breakup of tech companies, as we noted when Biden chose her as vice president.
- But it's unlikely she'd stop the ongoing tech antitrust cases at the DOJ and the FTC, and it's unlikely she'd change the agencies' leaders, as my Axios Pro colleagues Ashley Gold and Maria Curi note.
AI: Biden has entrusted Harris with leading the administration's approach to AI. As Ashley and Maria report:
- She's expected to continue with Biden's executive order on AI, with an emphasis on human rights and algorithmic fairness.
- "In the absence of regulation and strong government oversight, some technology companies choose to prioritize profit over the wellbeing of their customers, the safety of our communities and the stability of our democracies," Harris said at the Global Summit on AI Safety in London last year.
- She's also pushed back on what she calls "the false choice" between protecting the public or advancing innovation.
Big Tech: Unlike Biden, Harris has not explicitly called for the repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act since becoming vice president.
- Still, she supported SESTA (an anti-sex trafficking bill that took away some Section 230 protections from internet companies), and vowed to hold tech companies accountable for hateful speech posted by users back in 2019.
Taxes: She's called for higher corporate taxes in the past, and is likely to pursue much of the same tax policy as Biden has.
Immigration: As the child of immigrants herself, and having long-held connections in Silicon Valley, Harris is undoubtedly pro-immigration.
- She has been a supporter of continuing and expanding DACA, a program that includes a number of immigrants who currently work for tech companies.
The bottom line: For Silicon Valley, Harris would largely be more of the same — but perhaps with better rhetoric and slightly friendlier ear.
