According to Wired, a $100 million super PAC called Leading the Future is targeting New York Assembly member Alex Bores in his congressional race. The PAC is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman, and Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale. They’re opposing Bores because he co-authored the RAISE Act, which would allow New York’s attorney general to impose $30 million penalties on AI companies that fail to publish safety reports. The bill passed the state legislature in June and awaits Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature by year’s end. Bores claims the PAC’s attack actually backfired, generating more attention for his AI regulation efforts.
Silicon Valley vs Regulation
Here’s the thing about this situation – it’s basically a perfect microcosm of the broader AI regulation battle. You’ve got Silicon Valley heavyweights pouring serious money into political influence, and they’re starting with what they see as low-hanging fruit: state-level legislation. The RAISE Act isn’t some massive federal overhaul – it’s a state bill with civil penalties. But the industry response shows they’re taking even these smaller regulatory moves as existential threats.
And honestly, the PAC’s statement is telling. They call Bores’ legislation “ideological and politically motivated” that would “handcuff” innovation. That’s the standard tech industry playbook when facing regulation – frame it as innovation-killing bureaucracy. But Bores has an interesting counter-argument that makes this different from your typical politician-versus-tech story.
The Technical Credibility Factor
Bores isn’t your average lawmaker when it comes to tech. He holds a computer science master’s from Georgia Tech and actually worked at Palantir for four years before quitting over the company’s ICE contracts. So when he says “the part that scares Trump’s megadonors the most is that I actually understand AI,” that carries some weight.
Think about it – how often do tech companies get to dismiss regulators as not understanding the technology? That’s their favorite defense. But here’s someone who can literally read the code and understand the technical implications. That changes the dynamic completely. It’s much harder to brush off criticism when it comes from someone who speaks your language and knows your systems inside out.
Why This Matters Beyond New York
This isn’t just about one congressional race in New York. The PAC’s leaders explicitly said they’ll “aggressively oppose policymakers and candidates in states across the country” who threaten their AI interests. We’re seeing the opening shots in what will likely be a massive, multi-state political war over AI governance.
And the timing is crucial – while states are moving forward with their own AI safety bills, the Trump administration is preparing an executive order aimed at blocking state-level AI laws. So you’ve got this coordinated push from both the federal level and through super PAC funding to create a unified, industry-friendly regulatory landscape. Basically, they’re fighting a two-front war against AI regulation.
The real question is whether other lawmakers will follow Bores’ lead or get intimidated by the financial firepower. $100 million can buy a lot of attack ads. But if Bores is right that the attention actually helped him, maybe being targeted by Silicon Valley money becomes a badge of honor rather than a political liability.
