Overview
- Two rival networks — Leading the Future and Public First — are driving AI-related political spending through Democratic and Republican affiliates in early contests across Texas, North Carolina, New York and Illinois.
- The groups’ ads largely omit artificial intelligence and instead emphasize issues like immigration, Donald Trump and health care to maximize electoral appeal.
- Leading the Future reported raising $50.1 million last year and now says it has topped $125 million, with affiliates Think Big and American Mission active, while Meta is funding parallel efforts with $45 million to the American Technology Excellence Project and $65 million to new partisan PACs.
- In New York’s crowded race to replace Rep. Jerry Nadler, Think Big has spent more than $1.5 million attacking state legislator Alex Bores, and it is also spending more than $1 million to boost former Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Melissa Bean in Illinois primaries.
- Public First, which has a disclosed $20 million donation from Anthropic and runs Jobs and Democracy and Defending Our Values PACs, is spending more than $1.6 million to aid Rep. Valerie Foushee in North Carolina while also backing Republicans Alex Mealer and Carlos De La Cruz as Leading the Future’s GOP arm buys $500,000 spots for Laurie Buckhout and Chris Gober.