Big tech spent millions on a single US congressional race. It won’t be the last time
TL;DR
More than $24m flowed into the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th congressional district as pro- and anti-regulation AI groups tested their political muscle. The main target was Alex Bores, a New York state assembly member who sponsored an AI safety bill. Pro-AI PACs spent over $8m opposing him. Regulation-friendly groups answered with more than $16m. Bores still lost to Micah Lasher, who had also backed the same AI safety bill.
Nauti's Take
This is less a clean Big Tech win than a warning shot for the next election cycle. When $24m lands in one primary, the message is not just about one seat; it is deterrence for anyone considering tougher AI rules.
The awkward part is that the result does not clearly prove the strategy worked, because Lasher was not exactly an anti-regulation candidate either.
Briefingshow
This shows that AI regulation in the US is no longer fought only in hearings and policy papers. Tech-backed Super PACs can flood individual primaries with millions and reshape the political incentives around AI safety. But the impact here is messy, because the winner Micah Lasher also supported the same safety bill.
Sources