The Democratic primary for a House seat in a deep-blue Manhattan district, set for Tuesday, has turned into a significant proxy battle for the artificial intelligence industry, with over $15 million spent by AI-linked groups to influence the outcome. New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, a candidate aiming to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, has made AI regulation the central tenet of his campaign. Bores, a former Palantir employee, previously sponsored the RAISE Act, considered one of the strongest state-level AI safety laws, which requires major AI companies to report on safeguards against "catastrophic" risks.
Groups associated with investors in OpenAI have spent more than $7 million to oppose Bores, arguing that his regulatory approach could stifle innovation. Conversely, political organizations partly funded by Anthropic, an AI company co-founded by a former OpenAI employee concerned with AI safety, have invested over $10 million to support Bores' candidacy. This makes the primary a key test of voter sentiment on AI regulation.
The outcome of Bores' primary will be closely watched as it could significantly influence the Democratic Party's stance on AI regulation and embolden other politicians to take a stronger regulatory approach. Industry groups have collectively spent $43.3 million on congressional races this cycle and continue to heavily invest in lobbying, reflecting their desire to shape future AI legislation. The race is seen as one of the purest tests of how salient AI regulation is among voters, particularly in an election cycle where federal legislation on AI has largely stalled.
