Artificial intelligence

Ballots hit the mail today and voters will have to start making decisions. Recent court rulings overturn restrictive ballot initiative laws and remove a requirement for birth date verification on ballots. The race for a seat on the Supreme Court looks competitive. Debates heat up in the Senate race. And Trump may come to Montana to stump for the Republican candidate in the western district House race.

Recent polls show the Republican ahead in Montana's Senate race, and the Democrat and Republican in the western district House race in a virtual tie. Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead tries to address concerns about her past ties to a Conservative Megachurch. New ads in the House race focus on health care and culture wars. And upcoming debates could tip the scales in the congressional contests.

Montana's Democratic and independent Senate candidates take the gloves off. A TV ad smearing the Republican Senate candidate raises questions about accuracy. The Terminator endorses Montana's Seth Bodnar for Senate. A new billboard targets Republican House candidate Aaron Flint. And a new poll shows Montana gives Trump a lot higher approval rating than the country as a whole.

The dangers of unregulated AI are a focal point in the 2026 campaign. Shooting things out of the sky has become a staple of Montana campaign ads. Republicans hope to to keep transgender issues front and center. And a new poll shows the Senate and western district House races tightening.

Montana’s largest union has pledged their support for Independent Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center of Great Falls is restructuring and getting a makeover.

Bozeman and Missoula declared 100% clean electricity goals in 2019 and have been chipping away at this effort ever since. Now both cities have committed to a new renewable energy plan that gets them closer to carbon neutrality by 2030.

State Attorney General Austin Knudsen is demanding federal regulators take a close look at one of the largest A.I. companies in the world before it hits the stock market. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a leading voice for progressive Democrats, will stump for a Montana candidate next week. All but one of Montana’s seven largest cities added new residents last year.

Another AI company has set its sights on building a data center in Montana, this time in Bonner. The community is wary after problems with a similar facility in the past.

Permitting for fast-tracked mining project in the Bitterroot moves forward; Trump AI order could undercut state regulations; Health Department applies for federal recertification of Montana State Hospital.

Milltown dam water right will be used to support fish, state, CSKT say; Lawmakers expand teacher incentive program; Bill aims to regulate the use of sexually explicit AI-generated images.