AI-aligned super PACs spend $27.83 million in New York congressional primary

A New York congressional primary in the 12th district became a focal point for corporate spending by AI-aligned super PACs, with a total of $27.83 million deployed to influence the outcome. The spending was driven by multiple groups, including a crypto billionaire-backed super PAC and two committees tied to AI safety company Anthropic.

Anthropic’s involvement includes financial ties to two pro-Bores super PACs: Dream NYC, which received an initial donation from a single Anthropic employee, and Jobs and Democracy, which is funded by a nonprofit that received a $20 million donation from Anthropic. Neither super PAC has coordinated messaging with the Bores campaign, which has avoided public alignment with the outside groups.

A separate super PAC, You Can Push Back, was created by Ripple cofounder and crypto billionaire Chris Larsen to support Bores and, according to reporting, to counter OpenAI’s perceived political influence. The PAC did not respond to requests for comment from Politico.

The combined spending by pro-Bores super PACs with tech funding reached $19.4 million, exceeding both the Bores campaign’s own spending and the $8.15 million spent by the AI-boosting super PAC Leading the Future to oppose Bores.

A fourth super PAC, Guardrails Alliance, entered the race last week with a pledge to spend $250,000 on pro-Bores advertising. The group describes itself as a grassroots counterweight to billionaire-funded AI super PACs, aiming to highlight concerns about corporate manipulation in elections.

Reporting by Politico identified at least eight coordinated social media accounts promoting Bores on TikTok and Instagram, which the outlet said appeared connected to You Can Push Back. The Bores campaign has not publicly addressed the allegations of astroturfing.

The race has drawn attention beyond local politics because Bores co-sponsored New York’s first AI safety law, making him a focal point for competing AI industry interests despite his campaign’s stated focus on other issues.