A Democratic primary in New York's 12th Congressional District, to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, has become an unprecedented proxy war between competing factions of the artificial intelligence industry over AI regulation. New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, a former computer engineer and a proponent of stricter AI safety measures, has been at the center of this spending battle. His legislation, the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, which requires AI firms to publish safety protocols and report incidents, angered some in the industry.
Leading the Future, a political group funded by investors in OpenAI, including Greg Brockman, Marc Andreessen, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, spent more than $7 million (some reports say $7.6 million or $8 million) against Bores. They argued his state-level regulation would create a "chaotic patchwork" of rules hindering innovation and contended that Congress, not states, should lead on AI regulation. This group has been identified as the AI industry's main political arm, supporting AI regulation but advocating for a national standard.
In response, AI safety groups and other PACs poured significant funds to support Bores. Jobs and Democracy, backed by Anthropic, reportedly spent over $15 million, while Public First Action PAC, also supported by Anthropic, spent $10 million. Additionally, You Can Push Back, co-founded by crypto firm Ripple's Chris Larsen, contributed over $3.3 million, and Dream NYC added more than $2.3 million. Overall, AI-aligned super PACs have reportedly spent $43.3 million on congressional races this cycle, with pro-safety groups outspending anti-Bores groups in New York.
Bores's campaign highlighted his past at Palantir, which he left due to concerns about the company's involvement in immigration enforcement, further complicating his image within the tech industry. His opponents in the primary have also used the lavish spending from AI companies to suggest he is merely a pawn in a corporate battle. The outcome of this primary is seen as a crucial test of the AI industry's political power and its ability to influence future regulation, both at the state and federal levels.
The race is considered the second most expensive House primary on record, with about $3.6 million spent attacking Bores and $9 million spent supporting him. Despite the significant spending against him, Bores still received more money overall from pro-safety groups. This influx of money and the divergent views on AI regulation have made the NY-12 primary a highly scrutinized event, with the broader AI community watching closely for its implications on future legislative efforts.
