New York AI-linked PACs spend $20 million in Manhattan primary over regulation debate

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AI PACs, NY regulation primary

Highlights

AI-linked super PACs Leading the Future and Public First Action spent a combined $20 million in New York's 12th congressional district primary.
Leading the Future, backed by Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, spent $8 million opposing Bores, who advocates for strict AI safety regulation.
Public First Action, funded with $20 million from Anthropic, spent $11 million supporting Bores in favor of early and robust AI model regulation.

Campaign spending shapes AI policy contest

As reported by CNBC, two super PACs tied to the AI sector are spending heavily in New York's 12th congressional district, making it the only congressional race so far in which both groups are active. The contest is increasingly seen as a proxy fight over how far government should go in regulating AI as the industry expands its role in the economy and society.

Leading the Future, backed by supporters including Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and Perplexity, has spent $8 million opposing Bores. Bores has been a prominent advocate of AI safety rules and helped drive New York legislation requiring safety and security regulation for powerful AI models.

Public First Action, which has received $20 million from Anthropic, is backing Bores and has spent $11 million in support of him, according to Federal Election Commission data reviewed on Monday. The group operates as an arm of Americans for Responsible Innovation, an AI safety organization.

Regulation split carries broader industry implications

Brad Carson, president of Americans for Responsible Innovation, said the group has support from employees at major AI companies whom he described as worried about the direction of the technology. He argues regulation should address how AI models are built, not only the harm that may emerge after deployment.

Leading the Future takes a lighter-touch approach. Co-leader Josh Vlasto said the PAC supports a national AI regulatory framework that creates jobs, helps America compete with China and includes guardrails to protect users, children and communities. When the PAC was founded in August, it said it would oppose policies that stifle innovation, help China gain AI superiority or make it harder to deliver AI's benefits.

Bores says regulation does not have to undermine U.S. competitiveness and argues policymakers can support beneficial uses of AI while limiting harmful ones. Even if he loses, the race may not produce a clear win for the deregulatory side, because Lasher also voted for New York's AI bill and says the country cannot leave Big Tech to regulate itself.

In our earlier report on the recent selloff in AI-linked stocks, we noted that global markets were under pressure as investors reassessed risk ahead of key U.S. data and shifted expectations toward higher interest rates. The piece highlighted how higher borrowing costs and stretched valuations were prompting questions about the sustainability of debt-financed AI spending, weighing on major technology names.

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