AI tried to bury this politician — now people have actually heard of him
Get the Tech newsletter
Daily tech — startups, AI labs, chips, the launches that shape the next decade. Free.
- Leading the Future super PAC, backed by OpenAI, Palantir, and a16z executives, has spent about $2.4 million on attack ads against NY Assemblyman Alex Bores since December 2025.
- Alex Bores, author of early AI regulatory legislation, entered the race for NY’s 12th congressional district and, despite no major ad campaign until May 11, has become a front‑runner for the seat vacated by Rep. Jerry Nadler.
- Bores campaign placed its first ad buy on May 11, 2025, nearly seven months after his candidacy began and only weeks before the June 23 primary.
- Think Big PAC, affiliated with Leading the Future, spent $120,000 on a single anti‑Bores TV and digital ad.
- Lis Smith, a New York political operative, noted that the high cost of advertising in the NY market makes even a $120 k ad significant.
Why it matters: OpenAI‑backed PAC's $2.4M ad blitz pressures the NY primary, boosting Bores' visibility while draining opponents' resources, and shows AI firms' willingness to spend heavily to shape regulation.
