Anthropic and OpenAI's $27M AI Proxy War Ends in a Draw
Anthropic and OpenAI spent millions backing opposing candidates in a New York congressional race. The expensive AI-funded political battle ended in a narrow defeat for their proxy, Alex Bores, rather than a complete tie.
Anthropic and OpenAI spent a combined $27 million in a political proxy war over New York state Assemblyman Alex Bores. The race ended in a draw for the AI companies when Bores narrowly lost the Democratic primary for New York's 12th Congressional district. Prior to the race, Bores, a former software engineer, was little known outside of tech and Albany circles. His popularity surged after being targeted by a pro-AI super PAC. The battle highlighted the growing influence of AI companies in politics, with both sides funding super PACs to support their preferred candidates.
This race was a test of AI's influence in politics, and the outcome shows that AI companies are willing to spend big to shape policy. The expensive campaign highlighted the growing role of AI in political campaigns, as both companies sought to influence the outcome. The race also raised questions about the ethics of AI-funded political campaigns and the potential for AI to shape political outcomes.