AI-backed PAC spends $1M in ads against Alex Bores in NY House race

In short: A political group funded by several well known AI leaders is spending $1 million on ads against New York lawmaker Alex Bores because he supports stricter rules for AI.

What happened

Alex Bores is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly and a former software engineer. He is running for a U.S. House seat in New York’s 12th congressional district, which represents part of New York City.

Bores has pushed for stronger government oversight of AI, which means rules meant to reduce harms from AI systems (like setting safety checks, similar to inspections for cars or elevators). In 2025, he co-sponsored New York’s Responsible AI Safety and Education Act, also called the RAISE Act. The bill passed the state legislature, was later weakened, and was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2025.

In February 2026, a political action committee, or PAC (a group that raises and spends money to influence elections), called Leading the Future launched a $1 million ad campaign attacking Bores in his Democratic primary. The PAC is backed by prominent AI figures and groups, including Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. The PAC has raised about $125 million overall.

Bores has also raised money from people who want stronger AI safety rules. Reports say he received donations from employees at AI labs such as Anthropic, plus support from AI safety organizations. These are personal donations from workers, not corporate donations.

Why it matters

This race shows a growing split inside the AI world. Some leaders are paying to fight candidates who want stricter AI rules, while many engineers and safety focused groups are backing those same candidates. If Bores wins, it could affect how quickly Congress moves toward new AI safety laws.

Source: NYTimes