Silicon Valley Giants Launch $100 Million Pro-AI Super PAC to Influence 2026 Midterms

Silicon Valley is pouring millions into pro-AI PACs to sway midterms | TechCrunch

Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman are among the Silicon Valley veterans putting more than $100 million into a network of political-action committees (PACs) that will advocate against strict AI regulations in next year's midterm elections, reports The Wall Street Journal. The new pro-AI super-PAC network dubbed "Leading the Future" aims to use campaign donations and digital ads to advocate for favorable AI regulation and oppose candidates that the group thinks will stifle the industry. Both Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI were part of a push earlier this year to implement a 10-year moratorium on states' rights to create their own AI regulations. The ban was ultimately struck down, but the AI industry continues to fight against a "patchwork of regulations," which they say would slow down innovation and put the U.S. at risk of losing the AI race to China. The group hopes to mirror its approach on pro-crypto super-PAC network Fairshake, which helped cement a victory for Donald Trump. It will generally align with the policies of White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, per The Journal.

Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs

Silicon Valley corporations and investors, emboldened by President Trump's embrace of the technology and crypto industries, have pledged up to $200 million to two new super PACs that are aimed at forcing out politicians whom they see as insufficiently supportive of the push into artificial intelligence. One of the new PACs, Meta California, is funded by tens of millions of dollars from Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram and has been investing heavily in A.I. The second super PAC, Leading the Future, is backed initially with $50 million from the A.I. investor Andreessen Horowitz and $50 million from Greg Brockman, a co-founder of OpenAI, and his wife, Anna. The first-of-their-kind groups reflect a new appetite for political combat from the A.I. industry, which is a relatively new policy area without clear partisan allegiances. Meta, Google, OpenAI, Microsoft and others are shoveling tens of billions of dollars into developing A.I. models, building data centers, hiring top researchers and taking a lead in the technology. At the same time, the companies face questions over whether A.I. might take away people's jobs and whether the technology is safe, as well as mounting concerns over the environmental effects of data centers. The new super PACs are partly taking a page from the work of Fairshake, a group that was funded and run by some of the same investors and operatives to promote the crypto industry's interests. Fairshake backed pro-crypto congressional candidates, some of whom were elected last year, and was a major force in party primaries. This year, Congress passed a bill that was perceived to be friendly to the crypto industry. The up to $200 million that is being committed is likely to immediately make the new groups, and the issue of A.I., somewhat central to the 2026 midterm elections. The groups promise to support both Democrats and Republicans. While the sum of money is relatively minor compared to the balance sheets of A.I. giants, the upside is potentially high, as the crypto industry can attest. Trump Administration: Live Updates Updated Aug. 26, 2025, 6:34 p.m. ET28 minutes ago Meta has long had one of corporate America's largest lobbying operations, but the politically cautious tech giant has not previously pledged such a significant amount of money to a super PAC. The group will be run by Brian Rice and Greg Maurer, vice presidents of public policy at the company. Meta declined to give the precise amount it would donate, beyond it being "tens of millions" as an initial investment. Meta has been lobbying on a prominent bill in California that would mandate that A.I. companies publicly disclose some safety protocols for their A.I. models, according to public filings. The bill passed the State Senate and is being read in the State Assembly. At least 55 A.I.-related bills have been introduced by California lawmakers this year, the second most after New York. California is also home to OpenAI and the A.I. start-up Anthropic, as well incumbent tech giants like Meta, Google and Apple. "Sacramento's regulatory environment could stifle innovation, block A.I. progress, and put California's technology leadership at risk," a Meta spokeswoman said in a statement. "This is why we are launching a California super PAC." Leading the Future similarly pledges to be involved in California. The group, which will technically be a collection of several political dark-money nonprofits and super PACs, just as Fairshake was, also plans to focus on New York, Illinois and Ohio, where policy fights on A.I. have already broken out. The $50 million from the Brockmans and the $50 million from Andreessen Horowitz will come by the end of 2026. Other smaller initial backers of the effort include Perplexity, an A.I. company, and two Silicon Valley investors who have long been active in partisan politics, Joe Lonsdale and Ron Conway.

Tech's Heavy Hitters Are Spending Big to Ensure a Pro-AI Congress

Much of the American public is dubious to neutral when it comes to artificial intelligence. A recent poll found that 71 percent of Americans were concerned about the technology "permanently" displacing human workers. Since we ostensibly live in a democracy, you'd think that would be bad news for the AI industry; unfortunately, many of the folks who are central to our economy are all-in. What do you do when you can't win in the court of public opinion? The next best thing is to work the refs, and that appears to be Silicon Valley's plan for ensuring the political viability of its golden calf. Some of tech's biggest names are injecting $100 million into a newly announced network of political-action committees that will push for stripping AI regulation. Lead the Future, a PAC network that was announced in a press release on Monday, will seek to make America safe for AI. The press release states: A coalition of leading AI companies and innovators today announced the launch of Leading the Future (LTF), a new national political operation committed to ensuring the United States leads the world in AI innovation, development, and governance. LTF's mission is to ensure the United States remains the global leader in AI by advancing a clear, high-level policy agenda at the federal and state levels and serving as the political and policy center of gravity for the AI industry. LTF claims as its allies many tech luminaries, including "Andreessen Horowitz, Greg and Anna Brockman, Ron Conway (SV Angel), Joe Lonsdale (8VC), and Perplexity, with other prominent firms and individuals from across the tech and investment sectors expected to join in the coming weeks," the press release states. “There is a vast force out there that’s looking to slow down AI deployment, prevent the American worker from benefiting from the U.S. leading in global innovation and job creation, and erect a patchwork of regulation,†Josh Vlasto and Zac Moffatt, the group’s leaders, told the newspaper. “This is the ecosystem that is going to be the counterforce going into next year.†When reached for comment by Gizmodo, Lead the Future referred us to the previously circulated press release. Increasingly, Silicon Valley is one of the biggest political donors in the nation. The cryptocurrency industry poured money into the U.S. presidential election last fall and came out the other side with a POTUS intent on making America the "crypto capital of the world,†and a Congress that's eager to sign anything to make it happen. Then there's Elon Musk, who spent nearly $300 million all by himself just to get Trump in the door. The business world clearly sees super-soaking lawmakers with bundles of cash as the winning formula, so why wouldn't the AI industry and its proponents jump on the bandwagon?

OpenAI's president and Andreessen Horowitz are helping lead a $100 million Silicon Valley push against tougher AI laws and the lawmakers behind them

Silicon Valley is seeking to block cumbersome AI regulation with a new fund backed by OpenAI President Greg Brockman and VC firm Andreessen Horowitz that will support AI-friendly politicians. The new $100 million super PAC network, dubbed Leading the Future (LTF), will use campaign donations and digital ads to support friendly Democrats and Republicans on both the and national and state level with an eye on the 2026 midterms. It will also oppose politicians that the group sees as holding back the AI industry. "LTF and its affiliated organizations will oppose policies that stifle innovation, enable China to gain global AI superiority, or make it harder to bring AI's benefits into the world, and those who support that agenda," according to a press release. The group's position will mostly align with that of White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, The Wall Street Journal reported. Sacks has criticized "AI doomers" and has previously said the private sector will lead the U.S. to victory over China in the AI race. "There is a vast force out there that's looking to slow down AI deployment, prevent the American worker from benefiting from the U.S. leading in global innovation and job creation and erect a patchwork of regulation," said the group's leaders Josh Vlasto and Zac Moffatt in a joint statement to WSJ. "This is the ecosystem that is going to be the counterforce going into next year." Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI were both previously supportive of a 10-year moratorium on states passing their own AI regulations that was proposed in the version of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed by the House earlier this year. The moratorium was killed in the Senate after facing bipartisan opposition. In a post on X, Andreessen Horowitz's head of government affairs, Collin McCune, said through LTF the firm aims to support politicians who understand the promise of AI. "If we don't have the right policies, we risk ceding the future of AI -- and with it, America's economic strength and national security," McCune wrote. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Fortune's request for comment. LTF hopes to parallel the success of the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake, which counted Andreessen Horowitz among its largest donors. In 2024, Fairshake played a role in unseating former U.S. Senator and crypto skeptic Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) as well as spending $10 million to oppose Katie Porter's senate primary bid in California, which she ultimately lost to U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Vlasto, one of the group's leaders, is also a spokesman and media strategist for Fairshake and has political experience working for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The group's other leader, Moffatt, previously worked as a digital director for Mitt Romney's campaign and is the CEO of conservative consulting and public relations firm Targeted Victory, which counts the Republic National Committee as a client. The pro-AI super PAC will also help counter the narrative of pro-AI regulation spread by well known researchers, including the "Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton and his fellow Turing-award recipient Yoshua Bengio. Both have warned about the risks of more powerful AI. Leading the Future will start its operations this year in New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio, according to a press release. Other LTF supporters are VC and Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, AI software company Perplexity, and angel investor Ron Conway.

AI Titans Back $100 Million Super PAC to Boost Industry's Status in Washington - Decrypt

Supporters say the effort is needed to secure U.S. leadership in AI and to push back against policies that could slow innovation. A handful of America's most powerful AI companies, investors and tech entrepreneurs announced Monday the creation of a $100 million political spending fund aimed to support candidates "aligned with the pro-AI agenda" in state and federal races over the next two years. Leading the Future shares much DNA with similar political spending operations used by the crypto industry. The AI fund is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, one of the core contributors to Fairshake -- -the $300 million pro-crypto PAC that successfully upended the 2024 election. Both Leading the Future and Fairshake are also helmed by the same political strategist, Josh Vlasto. Other backers of Leading the Future include OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Ron Conway, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and Perplexity. Leading the Future plans to get involved in primary and general elections at both the state and federal level, and will oppose candidates who do not support a "pro-innovation" agenda ensuring the United States' global dominance in AI, the group said. The organization intends to, through a network of super PACs and nonprofits, begin spending this year on state races in California, New York, Illinois, and Ohio -- hotbeds of AI development in the United States. It will then expand to federal races ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. A source familiar with the fund's operations told Decrypt that the success of pro-crypto political spending groups like Fairshake offered a blueprint for AI leaders to now follow. AI and crypto, though, while both emergent tech industries with deep pockets, are two different beasts in the policy arena. Going into 2024, crypto was struggling, with a slew of scandals plummeting the industry to an all-time low level in political salience. A historic political spending spree reversed those fortunes entirely, partly by directing ire squarely at easily identifiable enemies like then-SEC chair Gary Gensler and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). AI, on the other hand, does not currently have its own version of a Gensler or Warren to target. The industry is a firmly ascendant cause in the second Trump administration, and no contingent of the Democratic Party has staked out positions in opposition, as once occurred with crypto. But crypto's remarkable political spending success story didn't just influence election outcomes. It also appears to have put substantial pressure on lawmakers to quickly pass legislation favorable to the industry. Amid hyper-partisan tensions in Washington, Congress passed a major crypto bill at breakneck speed, with crucial support from Fairshake-backed candidates. When asked whether any lawmakers currently in office should be considered "anti-AI" -- or if not, what the purpose of Leading the Future then is, a spokesperson for Andreessen Horowitz referred Decrypt to an X post made this morning by Collin McCune, the venture firm's head of government affairs. "Policymakers in Washington and our state capitals are weighing thousands of proposals right now that could make it impossible to build," McCune said. "The only way to counter entrenched interests and outdated thinking is to make sure builders have a voice at the table."

Silicon Valley AI leaders launch $100M Leading the Future super-PAC - SiliconANGLE

Silicon Valley AI leaders launch $100M Leading the Future super-PAC Silicon Valley artificial intelligence leaders and investors have launched a new super-PAC network focused on AI and advocating against strict AI regulation, with $100 million put towards the effort. A super-PAC is a political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for or against candidates. Unlike traditional PACs, it cannot donate directly to candidates or coordinate with their campaigns. The new super-PAC, called Leading the Future, is being backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, SV Angel's Ron Conway, 8VC Management's Joe Lonsdale and Perplexity AI Inc. The group will use campaign donations, state-level PACs, a 501(c)(4) arm and digital ads to advocate for pro-AI policies and oppose candidates seen as hostile to the industry. One of its stated goals is to counter calls from "doomer" AI voices in the tech community who want to regulate AI systems before they become too powerful. Instead, Leading the Future says it supports "sensible guardrails" that maintain innovation and keep the U.S. competitive against rivals such as China. Leading the Future is being led by Zac Moffat, the founder and chief executive officer of Targeted Victory LLC and Josh Vlasto, a partner at Bamberger & Vlasto LLC. "There is a vast force out there that's looking to slow down AI deployment, prevent the American worker from benefiting from the U.S. leading in global innovation and job creation and erect a patchwork of regulation," explain Moffat and Vlasto. "This is the ecosystem that is going to be the counterforce going into next year." On its website, the group positions itself as focused on "advancing a positive, forward-looking agenda for AI innovation in Washington, D.C. and across the states," with a long-term aim of creating durable political infrastructure. "The ultimate goal is not just short-term political wins, but the creation of enduring infrastructure and momentum that ensures AI leadership remains a central focus in U.S. politics to advance good AI policy," the site states. According to the Wall Street Journal, Leading the Future is hoping to emulate the success of Fairshare, a cryptocurrency-focused super-PAC network that saw success during the last U.S. election in defeating cryptocurrency skeptics and backing candidates who later helped pass new cryptocurrency-friendly regulations. Notably, Vlasto is a spokesman and strategic media strategist for Fairshare, so he joins Leading the Future with wins under his belt and an established pathway to influence lawmakers and candidates. With a $100 million war chest, the group signals a new level of mobilization by the tech industry as it looks to influence the fast-moving debate over AI regulation ahead of next year's U.S. midterm elections.

Why Andreessen Horowitz and This OpenAI Co-Founder Are Launching AI-Focused Super PACs

Andreessen Horowitz, along with OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman, are throwing their financial might behind a new political influence campaign. Both the VC firm and the executive are involved in a new network of super Political Action Committees dedicated to electing candidates who advocate for policies favorable to artificial intelligence, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. Collin McCune, head of legal affairs at Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z), announced the group's formation in a social media post on Monday. "AI isn't hype or science fiction -- it's already here," wrote McCune. "This technology can drive the next wave of American growth, create new jobs, and unlock productivity across every sector of the American economy." The super PAC network will be called Leading The Future. Its primary goal is winning in the race against China to develop bleeding-edge AI systems, McCune said. "Make no mistake: this is also a race with China. If we don't have the right policies, we risk ceding the future of AI -- and with it, America's economic strength and national security."

VC firm Andreessen Horowitz joins $100 million effort to shape AI regulation - The Economic Times

The group, called Leading the Future, plans to target what it sees as unnecessary regulation and support "policies that unlock the transformative and economic benefits of AI," through a network of political-action committees, according to a press release.Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is joining other major Silicon Valley investors in backing a new $100 million political network that seeks to influence US artificial intelligence policy, deepening the tech industry's involvement in politics under President Donald Trump. The group, called Leading the Future, plans to target what it sees as unnecessary regulation and support "policies that unlock the transformative and economic benefits of AI," through a network of political-action committees, according to a press release. Other early backers of the effort include AI search startup Perplexity, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman and his wife Anna, and longtime tech investors Ron Conway and Joe Lonsdale. The group's network of PACs plans to raise significantly more capital in the coming weeks. Political strategists Zac Moffatt, founder of political marketing and strategy firm Targeted Victory, and Josh Vlasto, a partner at Bamberger & Vlasto, are leading the effort. Moffatt served as digital director for Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, and Vlasto previously served as press secretary to Democrat Chuck Schumer. The PACs mark Silicon Valley's latest attempt to steer US policy-making in its favor, especially on AI. Andreessen Horowitz, in particular, has been increasingly vocal in Washington, promoting a pro-startup playbook it calls the "Little Tech Agenda," and advocating against federal and state AI regulation. The firm has also donated to the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake. Collin McCune, the head of government affairs at Andreessen Horowitz and a key organizer of Leading the Future, described the initiative as a push to protect US competitiveness in AI. In a post on X, he wrote: "If we don't have the right policies, we risk ceding the future of AI -- and with it, America's economic strength and national security." "Policymakers in Washington and our state capitals are weighing thousands of proposals right now that could make it impossible to build," McCune added. "The only way to counter entrenched interests and outdated thinking is to make sure builders have a voice at the table."

OpenAI co-founder Brockman, other Silicon Valley big shots to launch pro-AI PAC network to oppose AI regulations in 2026 midterm polls

Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI's Greg Brockman, are launching 'Leading the Future,' a super-PAC network with over $100 million to influence the 2026 US midterm elections. This initiative aims to counter strict AI regulations by supporting industry-friendly policies and opposing candidates perceived as hindering AI development, mirroring the strategy of the crypto-focused Fairshake. Venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman are among the veterans from Silicon Valley who are planning to infuse more than $100 million into a network of political-action committees and organizations to advocate against strict artificial-intelligence regulations in the 2026 US midterm elections, according to The Wall Street Journal. Leading the Future is the first of its kind super-PAC network, which focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Andreessen Horowitz, one of the best-known venture-capital firms, and Brockman will aid its launch and also fund the network. Collin McCune, Andreessen Horowitz's head of government affairs, Brockman, and OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane were a part of the initial conversations, which took place earlier in 2025. The discussions were centered around the need to help shape industry-friendly policies. According to the Wall Street Journal, Leading the Future is expected to make use of campaign donations and digital ads to advocate for select AI policies. It also aims to oppose candidates who, according to the group, will suppress the industry significantly. "There is a vast force out there that's looking to slow down AI deployment, prevent the American worker from benefiting from the U.S. leading in global innovation and job creation and erect a patchwork of regulation," Josh Vlasto and Zac Moffatt, the group's leaders, said in a joint statement, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal. "This is the ecosystem that is going to be the counterforce going into next year." The new pro-AI network is aiming to imitate Fairshake, a cryptocurrency-focused super-PAC network that helped Donald Trump win the elections and return to office by swinging 2024 US presidential poll results by working to defeat crypto skeptics such as former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D, Ohio) and extending support to candidates who were in favor of passing the first crypto regulations, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to the leading American daily, Leading the Future will generally align with White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, a frequent critic of "AI doomers." The organization plans to begin work in four states: New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio. The group said it would support both Democrats and Republicans and would include federal and state PACs and a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates for policies. The AI campaign of the network is expected to begin later in 2025. It is pertinent to mention that Andreessen Horowitz is also a big backer of Fairshake, and the billionaire co-founder, Marc Andreessen, was one of the tech executives who supported Trump in 2024 after boosting Democrats in the past. Brockman, who co-founded OpenAI alongside CEO Sam Altman and others, is contributing to the new group with his wife, Anna Brockman. The list of other backers includes 8VC managing partner and Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale, AI search engine Perplexity, and veteran angel investor Ron Conway.

Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI Lead Pro-AI PAC Launch, Invest Millions Ahead Of Midterm Elections: Report - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)

In a bid to protect the interests of the tech industry, Silicon Valley is mobilizing substantial funds for political action committees (PACs) and organizations, with a focus on AI policy. Tech Giants Launch Super-PAC To Shape AI Rules Silicon Valley is investing over $100 million in a network of PACs and organizations. The primary goal is to oppose stringent AI regulations, indicating the tech industry's active involvement in the upcoming midterm elections, reported The Wall Street Journal on Monday. Venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman are key players in the creation and financing of Leading the Future, a new super-PAC network with a focus on AI. The group's strategy centers on leveraging campaign contributions and digital advertising to promote specific AI policies while pushing back against candidates they see as potential obstacles to the industry's growth. The organization is not advocating for complete deregulation, but rather the establishment of sensible boundaries. Amid concerns about the U.S.-China AI race and the absence of federal AI policies, the group intends to begin operations in New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio, which have been identified as key AI-policy battlegrounds. Supporters of the initiative include AI search engine Perplexity and veteran angel investor Ron Conway, with the campaign scheduled to roll out later this year. SEE ALSO: Peter Schiff Leads Bitcoin 'Obituary' List Ahead Of Warren Buffett And Jamie Dimon: 'At Least I Made The Top...' Winklevoss Twins Donate To Pro-Trump PAC, Google Cuts AI Cost This move comes in the wake of President Trump's AI action plan aimed at making the U.S. a powerhouse in the AI sector in July 2025. The plan was designed to unleash the '4th Industrial Revolution' and win the global AI race. Furthermore, the Winklevoss twins, co-founders of Gemini, donated $21 million in Bitcoin to a new political action committee supporting President Donald Trump's vision of making the U.S. the "world's cryptocurrency capital." Notably, Leading the Future plans to follow in the footsteps of Fairshake, a cryptocurrency-focused super-PAC network that had a significant impact on last year's election results. This new network is among the first of its kind to concentrate on AI policy. Moreover, Google GOOG announced a significant reduction in the prices of its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services for federal agencies. This move is expected to make AI technology more accessible and affordable for government agencies. READ MORE: David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya Warn Pre-Product AI Founders Against Rejecting Multi-Billion Dollar Acquisition Offers Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. GOOGAlphabet Inc$206.940.11%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum71.71Growth78.12Quality81.12Value50.57Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs