Anthropic-Funded Group Backs Candidate Attacked By Rival AI Super PAC

AI Super PAC Spending Escalates in Congressional Race

What happens when artificial intelligence companies take their policy debates to the campaign trail? In New York's 12th congressional district, an AI super PAC funded by industry giants is spending millions to oppose a state assembly member—while another, backed by Anthropic, is stepping in to defend him. This escalating financial battle highlights how deeply divided the tech sector has become over AI regulation, transparency, and the future of innovation. Voters in this tightly watched race are now at the center of a high-stakes experiment in tech-driven political influence.

Credit: John Nacion/Variety / Getty Images

Who Is Behind the Leading the Future Super PAC?

Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC, has deployed more than $100 million from prominent tech backers to shape congressional outcomes. Its supporters include Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, AI search startup Perplexity, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. The group's strategy has focused on opposing candidates who support stricter AI oversight, viewing such policies as potential barriers to rapid development and market leadership.
In New York's 12th district, Leading the Future has already invested $1.1 million in ads targeting Assemblymember Alex Bores. Their criticism centers on his sponsorship of the RAISE Act, a New York state bill requiring major AI developers to disclose safety protocols and report serious system misuse. For the PAC, this legislation represents regulatory overreach that could stifle innovation and disadvantage U.S. companies in the global AI race.

Anthropic's Public First Action Counters With Safety-First Message

Enter Public First Action, a political committee fueled by a $20 million donation from AI safety-focused company Anthropic. The group is spending $450,000 to support Bores in the same congressional race, directly countering Leading the Future's attacks. While both committees identify as pro-AI, their visions for the technology's future diverge sharply.
Public First Action emphasizes transparency, rigorous safety standards, and public oversight as essential to responsible AI development. Their messaging frames Bores not as an anti-tech regulator, but as a pragmatic lawmaker seeking guardrails that protect citizens without halting progress. This approach reflects Anthropic's broader corporate stance: that robust safety practices and clear accountability mechanisms are prerequisites for public trust and long-term industry growth.

Why the RAISE Act Sparked a Political AI Funding War

The RAISE Act requires major AI developers to disclose their safety protocols and report incidents of serious misuse to state authorities. For supporters like Bores, the bill is a common-sense step toward preventing harm from increasingly powerful systems. For opponents, it sets a dangerous precedent of fragmented state-level regulation that could complicate national and global AI deployment.
This policy disagreement has become a flashpoint for broader ideological splits within the tech community. One camp prioritizes speed, scale, and minimal friction in bringing AI products to market. The other argues that without proactive safeguards, the risks—from misinformation to autonomous system failures—could undermine the technology's societal benefits. The New York race has become a proxy battle for which philosophy will shape U.S. AI policy in the coming years.

What This Means for AI Policy and Campaign Finance

The surge in AI-related political spending signals a new era of tech industry engagement in electoral politics. Unlike traditional lobbying, super PACs can raise and spend unlimited funds to influence races, often with less transparency about donor coordination. As AI companies pour resources into campaigns, questions arise about how this spending aligns with public interest and democratic accountability.
Experts note that when well-funded interest groups dominate political messaging, voter understanding of complex issues like AI governance can suffer. Clear, balanced information becomes harder to find amid attack ads and curated narratives. This dynamic underscores the importance of media literacy and independent journalism in helping constituents evaluate candidates' positions on emerging technologies.

The Stakes for New York's 12th District Voters

For residents of New York's 12th congressional district, this influx of outside money brings both attention and complexity. The race now serves as a national case study in how AI policy debates translate to local elections. Voters must weigh candidates' records on tech issues alongside traditional concerns like housing, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
Bores has framed his support for the RAISE Act as part of a broader commitment to accountable governance. He argues that thoughtful regulation can foster innovation by building public confidence in AI systems. His opponents counter that excessive red tape could push development overseas, costing American jobs and leadership. As election day approaches, constituents will decide which vision better serves their community and the country's technological future.

How AI Industry Divisions Reflect Broader Tech Policy Debates

The clash between Leading the Future and Public First Action mirrors larger tensions within the technology sector. Similar divides appear in discussions about data privacy, content moderation, antitrust enforcement, and workforce displacement. These aren't just technical disagreements—they're fundamental questions about power, ethics, and the role of corporations in society.
As AI capabilities advance rapidly, the window for shaping thoughtful policy is narrowing. The outcomes of races like New York's 12th district could influence which regulatory approaches gain traction at the state and federal levels. For voters, engaging with these issues means looking beyond campaign ads to understand how different policy paths might affect their lives, livelihoods, and democratic institutions. The AI super PAC battle is more than a political footnote; it's a preview of how emerging technologies will be governed in an increasingly digital age.