AI & Elections
How AI is reshaping campaigns, voter outreach, and political spending.
Artificial intelligence is changing how political campaigns reach voters, how disinformation spreads, and how money flows into races. In the 2026 midterms, AI industry PACs alone have committed more than $185 million to electing candidates aligned with their positions on regulation.
Why it matters to voters
The lawmakers elected in 2026 will write the rules that govern AI for the next decade. AI-generated ads, deepfake robocalls, and synthetic endorsements are also already affecting how voters perceive candidates.
Recent developments
- May 2026FEC Q1 filings confirm $185M+ in AI industry spending on 2026 races.
Why this mattersSingle-issue PAC spending at this scale shapes which candidates can compete and what laws get written.
- Apr 2026AnthroPAC files with the FEC as a separate Anthropic employee PAC.
- Jan 2026Leading the Future launches a $1.1M+ opposition campaign against NY-12 candidate Alex Bores.
Why this mattersA test of whether industry money can defeat a sitting legislator who wrote a major AI safety law.
Political & policy relevance
Bipartisan bills on synthetic media disclosure and deepfake political ads are pending in Congress and several state legislatures. Most are stalled.
Candidates working on this
Alex Bores · Valerie Foushee · Mallory McMorrow
Further reading
Last updated May 2026