AI Industry Pours Millions Into Super PACs for 2026 Midterm Elections

OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies are major donors to political action committees that aim to shape federal AI regulation and boost pro-innovation candidates.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 9:33pm by Ben Kaplan

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As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the artificial intelligence (AI) industry is playing a significant role in election campaigning through massive donations to super PACs. Both companies and individuals in the AI sphere have contributed large sums to these political action committees, which seek to support candidates with favorable policies towards the AI sector, including expanded federal funding, lighter regulation, and stronger global competitiveness. The super PACs are running aggressive advertising campaigns that are expected to heavily influence voter perceptions and election outcomes.

Why it matters

The AI industry's heavy involvement in the 2026 elections through super PACs raises concerns about the outsized influence of wealthy special interests on the democratic process. While super PACs are prohibited from coordinating directly with candidates, their ability to spend unlimited funds on advertising and outreach gives them significant power to shape public opinion and electoral outcomes in ways that may not align with the broader public interest.

The details

Major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have created their own super PACs, such as Leading the Future and Public First Action, which have donated around $150 million to state and federal campaigns so far in 2025. The super PACs often support candidates who favor policies like increased AI research funding, lighter regulation, and stronger US competitiveness against China. While both parties have received donations, Republicans are expected to benefit more due to their generally more permissive stance on AI practices. The super PACs run aggressive advertising campaigns that can heavily influence voter perceptions, even though they are prohibited from directly coordinating with candidates.

  • The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching.
  • In 2025, AI companies contributed around $150 million to state and federal campaigns.

The players

Greg Brockman

Co-founder of OpenAI, who has donated $50 million to the super PAC Leading the Future.

Marc Andreessen

Venture capitalist at Andreessen Horowitz, who often supports candidates favoring lighter AI regulation and stronger US competitiveness.

Leading the Future

A super PAC focused on federal-level AI regulation, backed by major AI donors like Greg Brockman.

Public First Action

A super PAC advocating for stricter AI requirements, with strong support from Anthropic.

Alex Bores

A congressional candidate in New York who was targeted by a digital ad campaign from a Leading the Future affiliate due to his previous work at Palantir Technologies.

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What they’re saying

“One of the big fights that we've seen is whether the federal government can stop states from putting their own regulations on AI.”

— David Meyers, Director at OpenSecrets

“These donors often support candidates who prioritize innovation, research funding, and global competitiveness in AI.”

— Ethan Ty, Carlmont junior and political campaign intern

“OpenAI and Anthropic are big ones that have created super political action committees. They donate millions of dollars to support candidates who are geared towards innovation in AI.”

— Theodore Mui, Carlmont senior and president of the AI and Machine Learning Club

“Marc Andreessen has supported candidates who favor lighter AI regulation and stronger U.S. competitiveness against China.”

— Ethan Ty, Carlmont junior and political campaign intern

“Super PACs play a problematic role in elections because they allow unlimited spending from wealthy individuals and interest groups, which can distort democratic representation.”

— Ethan Ty, Carlmont junior and political campaign intern

What’s next

The judge in the case against congressional candidate Alex Bores will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the Leading the Future affiliate's digital ad campaign to continue.

The takeaway

The AI industry's massive spending on super PACs in the 2026 midterm elections highlights the growing influence of wealthy special interests in shaping the political landscape, raising concerns about the integrity of the democratic process and the ability of average citizens to have their voices heard.