AI Industry Faces Political Battle as Rival Super PACs Prepare for 2026 Midterm Spending War

Political Battle Lines Form Over AI Regulation

The artificial intelligence industry is bracing for an unprecedented political spending war as two rival networks of super PACs prepare to pour over $150 million into the 2026 midterm elections. The battle centers on fundamental questions about how strictly AI should be regulated, with tech industry giants on one side and safety advocates on the other 1

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The conflict mirrors the successful crypto industry campaign strategy that spent $130 million in the 2024 elections, helping secure a Congress more favorable to cryptocurrency interests 3

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. Now, AI stakeholders are adopting similar tactics to shape the regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence.

Industry-Backed Opposition to Regulation

Leading the charge for the AI industry is Leading the Future, a super PAC that launched in August with an initial war chest of $100 million 2

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. The group's funding comes from prominent Silicon Valley figures, including venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his family, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and AI search company Perplexity 1

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The super PAC's strategy extends beyond federal elections to state-level regulatory battles. Its advocacy arm, Build American AI, launched a $10 million campaign this week pushing for "a uniform national approach to AI" that would likely override stricter state-level regulations . The group argues that a patchwork of state regulations stifles innovation and creates an unworkable business environment.

Leading the Future has already identified its first political target: Alex Bores, a Democratic candidate for Congress in New York who co-sponsored the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act 4

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. The landmark state legislation requires AI companies to adopt safety measures and has passed all votes, awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul's approval.

Pro-Regulation Counter-Movement Emerges

In response to the industry's political mobilization, a counter-network of super PACs is forming to support candidates who favor stronger AI regulations. Led by Brad Carson, a former Democratic congressman from Oklahoma, the effort aims to raise $50 million initially, with hopes of eventually matching the industry's $100 million 5

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The pro-regulation network will operate through a 501(c)(4) organization called Public First, which will fund two separate super PACs: Jobs and Democracy PAC for Democratic candidates and Defending Our Values PAC for Republicans 1

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. Former Republican congressman Chris Stewart of Utah is co-leading the effort, emphasizing the bipartisan nature of AI safety concerns 5

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Significant funding for the pro-regulation effort is expected to come from Anthropic, OpenAI's main startup rival, and its employees. Anthropic was founded by former OpenAI employees who felt their previous company wasn't taking AI safety seriously enough 1

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. The company, recently valued at $183 billion, has sometimes clashed with the Trump administration's push for AI acceleration without safety constraints.

Federal vs. State Regulatory Authority

The political battle reflects a deeper tension between federal and state approaches to AI regulation. With Congress having failed to pass comprehensive AI legislation, states like New York and California have moved forward with their own regulatory frameworks 2

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President Trump has expressed support for federal preemption, posting on Truth Social that the United States "MUST have one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes" 2

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. Republican legislators are considering adding a moratorium on state AI laws to must-pass legislation like the National Defense Authorization Act.

A draft executive order obtained by WIRED would create an "AI Litigation Task Force" to sue states over AI laws deemed to violate federal authority over interstate commerce and free speech 2

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. While Trump hasn't signed this particular order, he did sign "The Genesis Mission" executive order on Monday, outlining plans to use AI for government science initiatives.