AI TRENDS | OpenAI- and Anthropic-Backed Groups Spend Millions on New York Candidate Alex Bores Race

Political competition surrounding New York state lawmaker Alex Bores’ run for a U.S. congressional seat has become a direct clash between two AI industry camps, with OpenAI and Anthropic backing opposing sides through affiliated political action committees. According to Odaily, the dispute centers on Bores’ previously promoted New York State RAISE Act, described as one of the strictest U.S. attempts at AI safety regulation, requiring AI companies to report potential “catastrophic risks.” A group backed by OpenAI-related investors and Silicon Valley capital, Leading the Future, has spent more than $7.6 million on advertising aimed at blocking Bores’ election. A political network linked to Anthropic and its investors has spent more than $10 million to support his campaign. The issue has shifted from policy debate to a political confrontation focused on whether AI should be governed through corporate self-regulation or stronger government oversight. Both supporters and opponents have accused the other side of representing corporate interests rather than public regulatory demands. Analysts cited in the report said the episode shows AI industry competition extending beyond technology and products into politics and regulatory structures.