Al proxy war over Alex Bores ends in a draw

The expensive, $27 million political proxy war between Anthropic and OpenAI came to a draw last night when Alex Bores, a New York state Assemblyman whose popularity surged after being targeted by a pro-AI super PAC, narrowly lost the Democratic primary to represent New York's 12th Congressional district. Prior to the race, Bores, a former tech industry employee, had coauthored and successfully passed the high-profile RAISE Act, which had implemented guardrails and safety requirements on frontier AI companies; a version of his bill was signed into state law last year. But the legislation drew the ire of Leading the Future, a $100 million super PAC backed by OpenAI and other AI interests.

The group spent heavily to try to unseat Bores, who was targeted for his support of the RAISE Act. A separate super PAC, also backed by Anthropic, spent millions to support Bores. The intense proxy battle highlights the growing competition and tension between major AI players, as well as their willingness to spend big to shape policy and influence lawmakers.

The outcome of the primary has significant implications for the AI industry and its ongoing debate over regulation. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, lawmakers like Bores are likely to face increasing pressure from AI companies and advocacy groups. The fact that Bores was able to maintain significant support despite being targeted by a well-funded super PAC suggests that there is still appetite for stricter regulations on AI companies.

However, the outcome also raises questions about the long-term impact of such expensive proxy battles on the democratic process and the ability of lawmakers to make decisions based on their constituents' needs rather than the interests of well-heeled special interest groups. Ultimately, the result will likely embolden both sides to continue spending big to shape policy, leaving it to be seen how this increased investment in lobbying and advocacy will impact the development and regulation of AI in the US.