Silicon Valley artificial intelligence leaders and investors have launched a new super-PAC network focused on AI and advocating against strict AI regulation, with $100 million put towards the effort.
A super-PAC is a political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for or against candidates. Unlike traditional PACs, it cannot donate directly to candidates or coordinate with their campaigns.
The new super-PAC, called Leading the Future, is being backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, SV Angel’s Ron Conway, 8VC Management’s Joe Lonsdale and Perplexity AI Inc. The group will use campaign donations, state-level PACs, a 501(c)(4) arm and digital ads to advocate for pro-AI policies and oppose candidates seen as hostile to the industry.
One of its stated goals is to counter calls from “doomer” AI voices in the tech community who want to regulate AI systems before they become too powerful. Instead, Leading the Future says it supports “sensible guardrails” that maintain innovation and keep the U.S. competitive against rivals such as China.
Leading the Future is being led by Zac Moffat, founder and chief executive officer of Targeted Victory LLC, and Josh Vlasto, a partner at Bamberger & Vlasto LLC.
“There is a vast force out there that’s looking to slow down AI deployment, prevent the American worker from benefiting from the U.S. leading in global innovation and job creation and erect a patchwork of regulation,” explained Moffat and Vlasto. “This is the ecosystem that is going to be the counterforce going into next year.”
On its website, the group positions itself as focused on “advancing a positive, forward-looking agenda for AI innovation in Washington, D.C. and across the states,” with a long-term aim of creating durable political infrastructure. “The ultimate goal is not just short-term political wins, but the creation of enduring infrastructure and momentum that ensures AI leadership remains a central focus in U.S. politics to advance good AI policy,” the site states.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Leading the Future is hoping to emulate the success of Fairshare, a cryptocurrency-focused super-PAC network that saw success during the last U.S. election in defeating cryptocurrency skeptics and backing candidates who later helped pass new cryptocurrency-friendly regulations.
Notably, Vlasto is a spokesman and strategic media strategist for Fairshare, so he joins Leading the Future with wins under his belt and an established pathway to influence lawmakers and candidates.
With a $100 million war chest, the group signals a new level of mobilization by the tech industry as it looks to influence the fast-moving debate over AI regulation ahead of next year’s U.S. midterm elections.
Image: News/Reve
Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.
- 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
- 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About News Media
Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, News Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.
