The artificial intelligence industry is pouring millions into political lobbying in the United States, with tech giants spending heavily to shape regulation on their terms. A report from the Wall Street Journal indicates Silicon Valley plans to invest $100m in a network of organisations opposing AI regulation ahead of next year's midterm elections.
One of the largest efforts is a Super PAC called Leading the Future, backed by OpenAI president Greg Brockman and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The group plans bipartisan spending on candidates and digital campaigns in key states such as New York, Illinois and California. Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is also forming its own Super PAC, the Meta California PAC, to oppose AI regulation in its home state, with tens of millions expected to be spent on the 2026 governor's race.
Big AI firms have ramped up lobbying: OpenAI spent roughly $620,000 on lobbying in the second quarter of this year alone, while rival Anthropic spent $910,000 in the same period, up from $150,000 the previous year. The spending comes as the benefits of AI remain unproven for many, with a recent MIT study finding 95% of companies saw no return on investment from generative AI, and a Stanford study indicating AI is harming young workers' job prospects.
Public safety concerns have also intensified. The parents of a 16-year-old who died by suicide have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging their son's extensive conversations with ChatGPT about suicidal ideations were not deterred by the chatbot. The family claims OpenAI rushed the release of GPT-4o, sacrificing safety testing to meet launch deadlines. Despite these issues, the Trump administration has signalled it is determined to prioritise AI dominance over regulation, with Trump stating, 'We can't stop it with foolish rules.'
