A significant financial infusion of over $20 million from artificial intelligence companies is actively shaping a New York Democratic primary race, with profound implications for the future of federal AI policy in the United States. This high-stakes contest, unfolding in a Manhattan congressional district, features a notable slate of candidates including state Assemblyman Alex Bores, a vocal advocate for AI safety, and fellow Assemblyman Micah Lasher, alongside John F. Kennedy’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg. The outcome of this particular election could very well set the precedent for how the U.S. government approaches the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
At the heart of this electoral battle are two prominent super PACs, both with direct ties to major AI players, engaged in a direct confrontation within New York’s 12th congressional district. This race stands out as the sole congressional contest to date where these two specific AI-aligned organizations are actively involved.
Leading the Future, a super PAC with backing from prominent figures such as venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, as well as AI software company Perplexity, has strategically deployed approximately $8 million to oppose Alex Bores. Bores has been a pivotal figure in the state’s legislative efforts to establish safety and security regulations for advanced AI models.
Conversely, Public First Action, an entity that has secured an impressive $20 million from Anthropic, is counterbalancing this spending. Federal Election Commission data, as reviewed by our newsroom, indicates that Public First Action has allocated $11 million in support of Bores. This PAC is an extension of Americans for Responsible Innovation, a group dedicated to AI safety. Brad Carson, the president of Americans for Responsible Innovation, stated that while the organization does not publicly disclose its donors, it has received support from individuals within major AI companies. He characterized these donors as “mid-level people who are very scared about where the technology is going,” suggesting a groundswell of internal concern within the industry itself.
The substantial financial commitment in this single House race has elevated it to a proxy battleground for the future of AI regulation in the U.S. It encapsulates the broader national debate regarding the appropriate level of governmental intervention as the AI industry continues its exponential growth and its integration into the fabric of society.
Leading the Future advocates for a more permissive regulatory environment for the nascent AI industry, in contrast to the more stringent approach championed by Public First Action.
Josh Vlasto, a co-leader of Leading the Future, articulated the PAC’s stance in a statement, emphasizing their support for a national regulatory framework for AI that is designed to foster job creation for American workers, enhance the nation’s competitive edge against China, and incorporate robust safeguards for the protection of children, users, and communities. When the PAC was established, its stated mission was to “oppose policies that stifle innovation, enable China to gain global AI superiority, or make it harder to bring AI’s benefits into the world.”
Public First Action, on the other hand, is actively lobbying for more comprehensive restrictions, extending beyond the final outputs of AI models to encompass the very methodologies used in their development. Carson elaborated, “Safety should be designed into the AI models. Regulating the outputs long, long, long after said problem has arisen does very little justice to the people who are harmed by the AI.”
This perspective aligns with Bores’ conviction that while AI presents significant potential for positive societal impact, it must operate within clearly defined boundaries. Bores, an engineer and computer scientist with prior experience at Palantir, conveyed his viewpoint during a campaign stop, stating, “Regulation is not going to be the reason we win or lose this race versus China. We can invest in AI that’s meant to help doctors diagnose disease without encouraging the AI that’s helping healthcare deny claims. We can get the best of both worlds.”
While Leading the Future and Public First Action represent the most substantial AI-focused PACs in the current midterm election cycle, their financial influence is not solitary. A number of smaller PACs, many with discernible connections to AI companies or the broader Silicon Valley ecosystem, have emerged, predominantly advocating for more stringent regulatory measures.
Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple, contributed $3 million to support Bores through his aptly named PAC, “You Can Push Back.”
Dan Ziegler of Anthropic has made substantial donations to another super PAC, DREAM NYC. This PAC has disseminated advertisements asserting that Bores will “stand up to Trump’s billionaire allies.” This sentiment resonates in the current political climate, particularly following President Donald Trump’s recent executive order in early June, which encouraged AI companies to voluntarily provide their models to the federal government for capability assessment prior to their broader release.
Another PAC, Guardrails Alliance, though having invested a comparatively modest $258,000 in the race, aims to amplify the voices of OpenAI employees who have expressed concerns regarding the political expenditures made by certain company executives.
Given the heavily Democratic leanings of the district, the victor of the primary is widely anticipated to secure a seat in Congress next year. Bores is among eight candidates competing for this position. Recent polling indicates a tight race between Bores and Lasher, with Schlossberg also emerging as a significant contender. Notably, George Conway, a lawyer and former husband of Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to former President Trump, is also participating in the race.
Should Bores not prevail, it does not necessarily signify a complete triumph for the faction advocating for less regulation. While Micah Lasher may not have been the principal architect of New York’s AI regulatory bill in the same vein as Bores, he did vote in favor of its passage in the state Assembly. Furthermore, his campaign platform explicitly states that the nation “can’t leave it up to Big Tech to regulate itself,” underscoring a shared concern for robust oversight, albeit potentially through different legislative pathways.
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