As the 2026 U.S. midterm elections approach, a battle over AI regulation is spreading from the tech world to the political arena. Recently, Alex Bores, a congressional candidate in New York's 12th district, has been facing a collective "attack" from Silicon Valley billionaires. A Super PAC funded by several major AI companies has raised $125 million and clearly identified Bores as a key target to be defeated.

The reason why Bores has become a thorn in the side of Silicon Valley is his success in pushing for the signing of the RAISE Act in New York. This law requires leading AI labs with annual revenues exceeding $5 billion to disclose their safety plans and promptly report any catastrophic security incidents. Although this bill is considered a moderate transparency regulation, it has angered some Silicon Valley figures who advocate for "technological accelerationism."

According to reports, an organization called "Leading the Future" is spending millions of dollars on attack ads targeting Bores. The list of the organization's prominent supporters includes OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and the well-known venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The ads accuse Bores of having worked at Palantir and supporting deportation actions, but Bores clarified that he left the company because he was dissatisfied with its collaborations with relevant institutions.

Bores said that Silicon Valley fears him because he has a background in computer science, understands the underlying logic of technology, and cannot be easily misled like other lawmakers without technical expertise. He openly stated that these companies are trying to use massive funds to "kill the chicken to scare the monkey," deterring any legislators who attempt to intervene in AI development.

This campaign has become a confrontation between two different paths: one side advocates for "complete deregulation and wild growth," while the other demands "transparency regulation and safety standards." Currently, Bores has also received support from some rational forces, including organizations with backgrounds at Anthropic. The outcome of this election could directly determine the direction of U.S. AI policy in the coming years.

Key Points:

  • 💰 Million-Dollar Attack: Silicon Valley magnates' Super PAC is investing significant funds to prevent Bores from entering Congress, due to his advocacy for legislative regulation of AI.

  • ⚖️ Regulation Causes Outrage: Bores' RAISE Act requires top AI companies to disclose their safety plans, seen as a challenge to complete technological autonomy.

  • ⚔️ Professional Background Advantage: Bores, as a candidate with a computer science degree, claims to be the "biggest threat" to Silicon Valley in the regulatory path.