Venture-backed Alliance Leverages Data Center Advertising to Influence Midterm Elections
A prominent super PAC supporting artificial intelligence has formed a new organization aimed at influencing voters in critical swing states with advertisements promoting data centers, according to various reports.
The organization, named Build American AI, is seeking to educate the public on the benefits of having data centers within their communities. It claims affiliation with Leading the Future (LTF), a super PAC significantly backed by venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, as well as OpenAI President Greg Brockman.
Build American AI stated that its advertising efforts will primarily target Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin, where the topic of data centers is a significant issue in upcoming elections. The group has announced a multi-million dollar ad budget for this initiative.
LTF, which began with over $50 million in funding, has largely allocated these resources to support specific political candidates, who advocate for AI technologies. Additionally, it actively works against candidates opposing such advancements, according to reports.
The influence of LTF in the realm of AI and election politics has become notable, to the extent that OpenAI distanced itself from the organization in a blog entry last June.
OpenAI expressed: “Concerns regarding Leading the Future (LTF) have arisen, especially related to support from our President and co-founder, Greg Brockman, and his wife Anna. However, OpenAI does not guide LTF’s activities nor do we oversee their operations.”
The organization went on to criticize certain strategies employed by LTF, stating: “Organizations advocating for AI must be transparent about their policy positions and the interests they represent, and refrain from tactics like astroturfing that muddle the real choices facing policymakers and the public.” (Astroturfing refers to creating a misleading impression of grassroots support for a campaign.)
In Silicon Valley, LTF is not the sole super PAC promoting an AI agenda backed by influential investors. Anthropic, for example, supports Public First Action, a group advocating for AI regulations.
Meanwhile, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are reportedly investing heavily in political efforts. As noted by the New York Times, their venture firm, Andreessen Horowitz, stands out as the largest contributor to the midterm elections, outpacing major donors like Elon Musk and George Soros with over $115 million in disclosed federal donations. Their financial backing extends beyond LTF and AI initiatives, as they are also strongly supporting pro-cryptocurrency efforts, notably through the crypto-focused super PAC Fairshake.
