Artificial intelligence is poised to play a big role in politics this year — and not just when it comes to AI-generated content.
Several super PACs backed by figures in the tech industry have formed ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Some of the groups plan to support candidates who are friendly towards the AI industry and will take a lighter regulatory approach to the technology.
At least one group has been formed explicitly to combat the influence of those pro-AI groups.
It comes as the Trump administration takes a friendly approach toward the industry, including moving to restrict states’ ability to regulate AI. Meanwhile, other politicians are calling for a national moratorium on new AI data centers, and some are just starting to use the technology for themselves.
Here are the super PACs to keep an eye on as the year progresses.
The biggest player so far is Leading the Future, a pro-AI network of super PACs associated with some of Silicon Valley’s tech elite.
The group’s main super PAC had raised just over $50 million by the end of 2025, according to recent FEC filings.
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That included:
$25 million from OpenAI CEO Greg Brockman and his wife Anna;
$25 million from Andreesen Horowitz;
$100,000 from Perplexity.
Brockman explained his philosophy on political giving in a lengthy post on X at the end of 2025, writing in part that «being pro-AI does not mean being anti-regulation.»
The network includes a super PAC for Democratic races, Think Big, along with a GOP-focused super PAC, American Mission.
FEC filings show that SV Angel Founder Ron Conway contributed $500,000 to Think Big.
Meanwhile, 8VC Founder Joe Lonsdale gave $250,000 to American Mission.
The group said in an August release that it plans to serve as the «political and policy center of gravity for the AI industry» and will «support candidates aligned with the pro-AI agenda» and «oppose those that do not.»
The group has already begun spending.
Think Big has spent over $900,000 against Assemblyman Alex Bores in the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th congressional district.
And American Mission has spent over $500,000 backing GOP candidate Chris Gober in Texas’s 10th congressional district.
In response to Leading the Future, two former congressmen — Republican Chris Stewart of Utah and Democrat Brad Carson of Oklahoma — have formed a competing political network, Public First, to back candidates who support AI regulation.
The group aims to raise $50 million for its effort, well short of what pro-AI groups have raised. But Carson recently told Business Insider he feels good about Public First’s odds, given that the American public is broadly supportive of AI regulation.
«We have $50 million and 85% of public sentiment. They have 15% of public settlement, and $100 million,» Carson said. «I will take our side of that bet any day.»
Carson said that Public First would have financial support from employees at a variety of AI companies.
«There’s going to be people from across the AI sector, as well as far beyond the AI sector, who contribute to the effort,» Carson said.
On Thursday morning, Anthropic announced it was donating $20 million to Public First.
«At present, there are few organized efforts to help mobilize people and politicians who understand what’s at stake in AI development,» Anthropic said in its statement announcing the donation. «Instead, vast resources have flowed to political organizations that oppose these efforts. Public First Action is working to fill that gap. »
The group has two affiliated super PACs: one that supports Democrats called Jobs and Democracy PAC, and another that supports Republicans called Defending Our Values PAC.