AI Giants Clash in New York Congressional Race, Spending Over $20 Million

A high-stakes Democratic primary race in New York's 12th congressional district has become a battleground for the future of artificial intelligence regulation, with AI companies pouring in over $20 million. The contest pits state Assemblyman Alex Bores, a champion of AI safety, against Assemblyman Micah Lasher and John F. Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg. Two major super PACs, Leading the Future and Public First Action, are on opposite sides of the issue. Leading the Future, backed by prominent AI investors, has spent $8 million opposing Bores, who successfully pushed for legislation regulating powerful AI models in New York. Meanwhile, Public First Action, which has received $20 million from Anthropic, has supported Bores with $11 million. The group's president, Brad Carson, says its donors include mid-level AI employees concerned about the technology's direction. The massive spending has turned this House race into a proxy war for the future of AI regulation. While Leading the Future advocates for a lighter regulatory touch, Public First Action pushes for stricter controls on AI development and deployment. Bores, an engineer and computer scientist, believes AI can be a positive force, but needs limits. His opponents, Lasher and Schlossberg, also support some level of regulation. The race has attracted other AI-related PACs, with several smaller groups backing Bores. The outcome of this primary will likely determine the next Congress member, as the district leans heavily Democratic. With recent polling showing Bores neck-and-neck with Lasher, the race is far from over.