Artificial intelligence industry spending has made New York City's NY-12 Democratic primary a key battleground for the 2026 midterms. According to multiple reports, AI-focused Super PACs have raised roughly $100 million this cycle, with nearly half of that amount spent on this single Manhattan race.
Key Takeaways
AI-focused Super PACs are pouring millions into New York City's NY-12 Democratic primary, making it a key battleground for federal AI regulation in the 2026 midterms. Leading the Future and Public First Action have spent over $20 million combined to influence the race between Alex Bores, Micah Lasher, and Jack Schlossberg.
- AI Super PACs have raised roughly $100 million this cycle, with nearly half spent on NY-12 primary
- Leading the Future has poured $8.2 million opposing candidate Alex Bores
- Public First Action has spent $11 million supporting Bores
- The race pits candidates favoring different levels of AI regulation against each other
- Polls suggest a tight contest between Bores, Lasher, and Schlossberg
⚖
▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public First Action Funding Source | 1 Difference | The Guardian cites crypto billionaire Chris Larsen; CNBC reports funding from Anthropic | ▼ |
| Total Ai Super Pac Funding | Broad Agreement | $100 million raised this cycle | |
| Spending In Ny-12 Race | Broad Agreement | $45 million spent on NY-12 primary | |
| Leading The Future Spending | Broad Agreement | $8.2 million opposing Bores | |
| Public First Action Spending | Broad Agreement | $11 million supporting Bores |
Public First Action Funding Source
▼The Guardian cites crypto billionaire Chris Larsen; CNBC reports funding from Anthropic
Total Ai Super Pac Funding
Broad Agreement$100 million raised this cycle
Spending In Ny-12 Race
Broad Agreement$45 million spent on NY-12 primary
Leading The Future Spending
Broad Agreement$8.2 million opposing Bores
Public First Action Spending
Broad Agreement$11 million supporting Bores
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
Leading the Future, a bipartisan network affiliated with OpenAI and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, has poured $8.2 million into opposing candidate Alex Bores. The group advocates for federal regulation of AI to avoid a patchwork of state laws.
The counter-movement is led by Super PACs like Public First Action, funded by Anthropic with $20 million in support. This group supports stronger AI safeguards and has spent $11 million to counteract Leading the Future's messaging. According to CNBC, Public First Action is an arm of Americans for Responsible Innovation, an AI safety group whose president Brad Carson described its donors as mid-level employees concerned about AI's direction.
The primary has become a major battle in the proxy war over federal AI regulation, with both sides spending heavily on ads, mailers, and texts. The race pits Bores against Micah Lasher and John F. Kennedy grandson Jack Schlossberg, all favoring different levels of AI guardrails. According to polls, it is now a tight contest.
The AI ad wars have extended beyond New York, with significant spending in races across the country. This political activity reflects a dramatic shift from how emerging technology companies historically engaged with politics, following a playbook developed by the cryptocurrency industry.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.