The PAC’s commitments come from major tech figures such as Andreessen Horowitz, Greg and Anna Brockman, and others, aiming to sway policymakers across parties.

Public First, a bipartisan group led by former lawmakers, is raising about $50 million to push for stronger AI oversight and export controls on China, presenting a precautionary governance alternative.

The same bipartisan effort advocates multi-level governance of AI risks, highlighting a broader regulatory debate on how to balance innovation with safety.

The debate features a wider split over federal pre-emption, tensions with governors, and how best to balance innovation with accountability and safety.

Key backers include Andreessen Horowitz, Greg and Anna Brockman, Joe Lonsdale, Ron Conway, and Perplexity, with Meta, Google, and SV Angel supporting allied advocacy efforts.

The political battlefield transcends partisanship, with some Republicans backing federal pre-emption of state AI rules while others criticize tech billionaire influence over elections.

A central message is competing with China by investing heavily in AI development and leadership, warning that slow progress could erode global competitiveness.

Regulators warn that without sufficient oversight, AI could suffer from algorithmic bias, deepfakes, job displacement, and unchecked deployment, underscoring the push-pull between innovation and public safety.

Leading the Future, a prominent super PAC, has secured roughly $100 million to back pro-innovation candidates and oppose state AI rules that could slow U.S. progress, signaling a push for federal guardrails over heavy-handed regulation.

Campaigns seek to counter patchwork state AI laws seen as hindering innovation and benefiting China, emphasizing rapid development in a favorable regulatory environment for developers and open-source AI.

Allied groups including Meta, Google, and SV Angel are targeting key states like New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Ohio to argue against a fragmented regulatory landscape.

The narrative pits billionaires against regulators, who warn of risks like bias and deepfakes, as donors argue for speed and scale to sustain U.S. leadership against China.

Organizers describe their stance as 'AI centrism'—favoring federal privacy and safety guardrails while keeping most regulations light for developers and open-source models.

Ahead of the 2026 midterms, a major funding push exceeds $100 million from Silicon Valley figures to influence state AI laws and shape policy outcomes.

State activity surged in 2025, with California enacting a safety mandate for large AI companies, New York moving forward with revisions, Colorado passing anti-discrimination rules in hiring and credit, and Florida signaling interest in similar safeguards.