As the 2024 US midterm elections approach, a new player is entering the fray: super PACs with pro-AI agendas.

In recent months, several Silicon Valley-backed organizations have launched or strengthened their efforts to influence policy through independent expenditures. These groups are pouring millions of dollars into advocacy campaigns that promote AI development and regulation, often framing these issues as key to the country’s future competitiveness. The influx of money from tech giants such as Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs, Google, Facebook, and Amazon is creating an uneven playing field in the debate over AI governance. These companies are using their vast resources to amplify messages that promote a light-touch regulatory approach, one that prioritizes innovation and growth over strict oversight. Critics argue that this strategy amounts to a coordinated effort by tech titans to sidestep meaningful accountability for AI’s potential risks. By funding think tanks, politicians, and advocacy groups, the industry is able to shape public discourse around AI issues in its image – one that emphasizes scientific progress and free-market solutions over caution and transparency. Some of the most prominent pro-AI super PACs include those affiliated with Silicon Valley Bank, which has pledged millions to back conservative and moderate candidates. These groups are already testing their tactics in key states like Arizona, Colorado, and Georgia, where AI-related issues will play a significant role in the next election cycle. Meanwhile, anti-ai initiatives, funded by advocacy groups such as American Economic Liberties or Consumer advocacy organizations, have been working behind-the-scenes to build opposition to the pro-AI agenda. As the 2024 midterms draw near, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will translate into tangible policy outcomes. However, one thing is clear: AI’s impact on US politics has become a defining issue of our time – and the stakes could never be higher.