AI Industry Spends Big to Block Alex Bores’ Congressional Bid

Published: 4 Mar 2026

Major figures in the artificial intelligence industry are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to defeat New York Assembly member Alex Bores in his run for Congress. The battle highlights a growing divide between state lawmakers advocating for AI transparency rules and tech leaders seeking less stringent regulation and federal oversight.

Attack Ads Target His Tech Background

Outside groups have flooded New York’s 12th congressional district with ads highlighting Bores’s former job at Palantir Technologies. The ads link his past work to the company’s government contracts, including projects tied to immigration enforcement.

Bores rejects the portrayal. He says he resigned from Palantir in 2019 because he opposed its work with federal immigration authorities. He argues that he refused to support how the technology was being used.

Silicon Valley Leaders Fund the Opposition

A super PAC called Leading the Future is driving the ad campaign. The group draws financial backing from prominent tech figures, including Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and Greg Brockman, along with venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and AI startup Perplexity AI.

The PAC has raised substantial funds to influence races involving AI legislation. Bores says the group has committed at least 10 million dollars to oppose him, making him an early and high-profile target.

Transparency Law Fuels Industry Backlash

Bores intensified tensions when he sponsored the RAISE Act. This New York law requires large AI companies earning more than 500 million dollars annually to publish safety plans and disclose serious incidents. Lawmakers signed the bill into law late last year.

Tech industry leaders criticized the measure, warning that state by state rules could complicate compliance and slow innovation. Bores counters that the law simply demands transparency and basic accountability from powerful AI developers.

Fight Over Who Regulates AI

The dispute reflects a larger power struggle over AI governance. Many industry executives want Congress to set national standards rather than allow states to create their own frameworks.

President Donald Trump recently directed federal agencies to review state AI laws that they consider burdensome, adding momentum to calls for centralized oversight.

Tech Spending Reaches Unusual Levels

Leading the Future is not the only player in the race. Meta Platforms has invested tens of millions of dollars into political action committees that support candidates aligned with the tech sector’s priorities. Industry donations to federal campaigns have also surged, reflecting AI’s growing political influence.

Bores argues that such spending far exceeds the scale of typical state races and aims to intimidate lawmakers who challenge the industry’s preferred approach.

Competing Visions for AI’s Future

Not all AI companies oppose regulation. A separate political group backed by Anthropic has supported Bores with a smaller contribution, promoting safety and transparency measures rather than a hands off stance.

Bores says voters do not want extremes. He believes most Americans support innovation but expect clear safeguards. As the campaign intensifies, the race has become a broader test of how much power the AI industry should wield over the rules that govern it.

Source: Tech Crunch