AI safety advocates, doomers, pro-innovation groups pour hundreds of millions into congressional midterms

Read the original at New York Post ↗
Cite

Vartabedian, M. (2026, October 14). AI safety advocates, doomers, pro-innovation groups pour hundreds of millions into congressional midterms. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/14/business/ai-safety-advocates-doomers-pro-innovation-groups-pour-hundreds-of-millions-into-congressional-midterms/

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

New York Post · collected 2026-10-14 · by Marc Vartabedian

Quick Summary

AI safety advocates and pro-innovation groups are spending significant amounts of money on U.S. midterm elections, with at least $48 million going to politicians who support AI regulations or unrestricted development. Guardrails Alliance, an AI safety group, has raised $11.7 million to fund candidates favoring stricter controls, while tech figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI’s Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe are donating to political action groups that aim to regulate or slow down AI technology. In contrast, anti-regulation groups such as Leading the Future, backed by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and Greg Brockman from OpenAI, have contributed $149 million to support pro-business candidates like Democrat Melissa Bean in Illinois. These financial contributions reflect the ongoing debate over AI safety and regulation.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-14, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

Tech companies and advocates on both sides of the artificial intelligence (AI) safety debate are heavily funding congressional midterm elections, with at least $48 million reportedly flowing into campaigns. On one side, AI safety groups like Guardrails Alliance, which has raised $11.7 million, are backing candidates who support stricter regulations. OpenAI’s Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, both vocal about the potential risks of AI, have donated significant sums to political action groups. For instance, Uribe contributed around $400,000 to Dream NYC, while Amodei committed $1 million to Public First, a group supporting candidates who want to slow down or regulate AI development. Additionally, at least $41,000 from AI safety advocates has gone to Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota, who views AI as an "existential threat" to humanity. This influx of money reflects the growing concern and debate over the potential risks posed by AI technology.

Written for “AI Safety Advocacy Spending” on 2026-10-14, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.
Reading Leans right (beta estimate) Confidence high
Leaning: leans right for article 80455 (high confidence, 5 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-14

Story

📰 AI Safety Advocacy Spending
Technology · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans right and hedges 43% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
One essential ingredient for AI safety? Democracy | Matthew Botvinick different event · 98%
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans strongly left further left than this 🔴 12% hedged 6 of 50 📰 publisher trust 68
“Article A discusses public and governmental discussions about AI safety risks, while Article B focuses on financial contributions to political campaigns related to AI regulation. They describe different aspects of the broader topic of AI safety.”
Elon Musk quietly becomes biggest known donor in midterm contests as he tries to save Republicans different event · 98%
Toronto Star
⚖️ Leans right 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 2 📰 publisher trust 63
“Article A discusses Elon Musk's donations in midterms, while Article B covers techies and AI safety advocates' involvement in midterms. They are related but describe different specific events.”
Elon Musk is the largest 2026 midterms donor — with $276M spent for GOP different event · 98%
New York Post
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 21% hedged 3 of 14 📰 publisher trust 67
“Article A describes Elon Musk's large donation to Republican candidates, while Article B discusses broader tech and AI safety groups contributing to midterms. These are different specific events.”
Elon Musk becomes biggest political donor of US midterms cycle with $366m spent different event · 98%
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans strongly right further right than this 🔴 11% hedged 2 of 19 📰 publisher trust 68
“Article A discusses Elon Musk's extensive political donations, while Article B focuses on AI safety advocates and pro-innovation groups making contributions.”
Musk has spent $276 million on midterms to help Republicans retain control of Congress different event · 95%
The Hindu
⚖️ Leans right 🔴 19% hedged 3 of 16 📰 publisher trust 95
“The articles describe different groups and individuals donating money for political purposes in the midterm elections, rather than a single specific incident involving Elon Musk's donations.”
AI safety ‘doomers’ pouring cash into Minnesota’s Senate race for Sanders-backed lefty Peggy Flanagan different event · 85%
New York Post
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 12% hedged 5 of 43 📰 publisher trust 67
“Article A focuses on donations in Minnesota's Senate race specifically for Peggy Flanagan, while Article B discusses broader tech money involvement in midterms across multiple races and political action groups.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
43%
9 of 21 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
67/100
New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Technology
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-14 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

New York Post · 10277 article(s) · 30 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 30 correction(s)
2026-10-13
‘Compassionate’ drug policy is anything but — woke Canada shows us why
2026-10-10
Cornell set to become first Ivy to offer degrees in prison
2026-10-09
Prison where Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is serving sentence is at the center of sex abuse scandal
2026-10-08
Christa Pike is ‘up and walking’ after botched execution — and she remembers: ‘She is angry’
2026-10-08
Christa Pike’s aunt believes killer’s survival of botched execution is God’s will: ‘God is in control, not the Department of Correction’
2026-10-08
Manson killer Patricia Krenwinkel granted parole again after nearly 6 decades behind bars
2026-10-07
Former corrections officer allegedly killed his wife — and forced his kids to help
2026-10-04
Ex-US Attorney will lead independent review of Christa Pike botched execution
2026-10-03
Tennessee prison chief resigns after Christa Pike’s botched execution
2026-10-03
Inmates getting paper straws in Canadian prisons for ‘safer snorting’ of drugs
2026-10-02
Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker’s relationship timeline: From prison proposal to his untimely death
2026-10-01
‘Triple-G’ weight loss drug update: Even on the lowest dose, trial patients lost 12.7% of their weight
2026-10-01
Christa Pike likely has ‘brain injury’ after botched execution — here’s what went wrong: ‘Degraded’ drugs, damaged veins
2026-09-29
Tennessee’s first female death row inmate in 200 years snubs her last meal ahead of Wednesday execution
2026-09-27
Trump asked China’s Xi Jinping if he’d ‘like to buy’ American weapons, US ambassador reveals
2026-09-27
Police give update on Hayden Panettiere’s death investigation after overdose ruling
2026-09-26
NYC’s embattled jail system saw startling 76% spike in inmate assaults and fights
2026-09-24
‘Pioneer Woman’ Ree Drummond’s son Jamar detained for biting cop months before assault arrest
2026-09-22
GOP’s Bruce Blakeman promises to ease solitary confinement limits as he picks up correction union nod
2026-09-19
‘Landman’ Season 3 Release Date Update: When Does The Next Season of ‘Landman’ Come Out?
2026-09-19
Nick Reiner hasn’t received ‘even $5’ from $1.6M family trust, lawyers claim
2026-09-18
UCLA chancellor pressured to retract rebuke over event with 9/11 ‘mastermind’ lawyer
2026-09-18
Bo Bichette’s willingness to change positions could reshape Mets’ infield
2026-09-18
Mamdani mourns NYC thief accused of murdering man with special needs
2026-09-18
Alabama killer’s last words before he’s executed for 1998 pawnshop double murder revealed
2026-09-18
Shock poll shows another huge swing in California governor’s race
2026-09-15
Fast food chains are making a major shift in customer service amid complaints of a ‘lonely and disconnected’ store experience
2026-09-15
Are Cocoa Puffs Maria Sten’s Favorite Cereal? The ‘Reacher’ and ‘Neagley’ Star Sets The Record Straight: “I Have to Make Clarifications”
2026-09-06
Long Island inmates in jail on drug charges use photo program to get clean
2026-09-06
‘Landman’ Season 3 Release Date Update: When Does ‘Landman’ Return With New Episodes?

Who wrote this

Marc Vartabedian
10 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Meanwhile, warnings that AI could harm humanity — and opposition to the massive data centers powering the tech — have only grown louder on both sides of the aisle.
2026-10-14 · mixed framing · AI safety advocates, doomers, pro-innovation groups pour hundreds of millions into congressional midterms
🔮 The 31-year-old’s revelations come amid a bitter real-life ‘Succession’ feud that could determine the future of one of Europe’s biggest fortunes.
2026-10-12 · speculative framing · Ray-Ban heir divulges drug addiction, claims he’s slept with ‘over 2,000 women’ in wild interview blasting company leadership
🔮 Jeff Bezos says his rocket company Blue Origin will likely go public within the next few years – after one of his $150 million rockets recently exploded into a massive fireball, setting the company back in the race to catch up to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Bezos said the inking of a massive $10 billion funding round last month – which for the first time included outside investors and $2 billion of his own cash – was a signal it’s nearing time for a public listing. “I see the financial future of Blue with some clarity now,” the billionaire Amazon founder told Fox News on Wednesday at Blue Origin’s Florida factory.
2026-10-08 · mixed framing · Blue Origin IPO could come in next few years, Jeff Bezos says in wake of rocket disaster
🔮 Three tribes in California and one in Oklahoma are launching tribal-branded prediction market apps powered by Kalshi, saying the tie-ups would allow them to capture a slice of revenue in the booming business of prediction markets – which offers wagers across a slew of real-world events, from sports and the Oscars to the weather.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Four Native American tribes break with casino establishment, team with Kalshi on new gambling apps
🔮 Wang’s edgy style could be entirely strategic as Meta has struggled to reel in younger users to Facebook and Instagram platforms.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Meet Meta’s billionaire AI guru –a 29-year-old, mullet-wearing tech bro who posts racy meme jokes
🔮 The revenue from a 35% tax could reach $600 billion by 2030 and could be used to acquire shares of AI giants and distribute them to members of the public, according to the paper.
2026-10-05 · mixed framing · Hedge fund giant Bridgewater emerges as advocate for ‘little guy’ in AI debate — pushes taxes to boost ‘citizen equity’
🔮 The party might be coming to a halt, as Holtec Nuclear, Bamboo Insurance and now Oura postponed their planned listings over just the past few days.
2026-09-29 · mixed framing · Smart ring maker Oura yanks IPO at last minute – latest company to pump brakes over ‘market uncertainty’
🔮 The bot even gave advice on reloading time and potential casualties, according to the article: “Assuming each shell results in one hit, you might down 10 to 20 people max, depending on spacing, density, reaction times, and chaos.
2026-09-25 · mixed framing · ChatGPT advised Tumbler Ridge killer on evading guardrails, said, ‘you can still be twisted:’ report
🔮 Once those dangers emerge, the industry will have to “strike a balance between driving development and risks,” Xu added.
2026-09-17 · assertive framing · Chinese AI labs must accelerate development, says Huawei exec – fueling fears that a US AI slowdown would benefit China
Also by Marc Vartabedian
Ray-Ban heir divulges drug addiction, claims he’s slept with ‘over 2,000 women’ in wild interview blasting company leadership
2026-10-12 · New York Post
Widespread IT woes hit Southwest Airlines, causing long lines and forcing old-school passenger check-in
2026-10-09 · New York Post
Blue Origin IPO could come in next few years, Jeff Bezos says in wake of rocket disaster
2026-10-08 · New York Post
Four Native American tribes break with casino establishment, team with Kalshi on new gambling apps
2026-10-07 · New York Post
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 10 articles by Marc Vartabedian →

Topics

Anthropic Guardrails Alliance OpenAI Republican Transformer

Subjects

OpenAI ORG · 5× Anthropic ORG · 3× Axios ORG · 3× Leading the Future ORG · 3× Republican NORP · 3× Transformer ORG · 3× Democrat NORP · 2× Guardrails Alliance ORG · 2× House ORG · 2× Senate ORG · 2×

Narrative

AI safety doomers have donated at least $41,000 to Democrat Peggy Flanagan – a Sen. Bernie Sanders-backed Senate candidate in Minnesota who has called AI an “existential threat” to humanity, as The Post previously reported.
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-14
🔮 Meanwhile, warnings that AI could harm humanity — and opposition to the massive data centers powering the tech — have only grown louder on both sides of the aisle.
2026-10-14 · New York Post
AI safety advocates, doomers, pro-innovation groups pour hundreds of millions into congressional midterms · mixed framing

Claims (21 extracted, 9 hedged)

Techies from both sides of the AI safety debate are pouring a fortune into next month’s midterms, with at least $48 million reportedly going to pols poised to crack down on the burgeoning tech. uncertain
million → pour → tech
Tech-worker-backed AI safety group Guardrails Alliance, which has raised $11.7 million, is among the groups funneling cash to candidates in favor of regulations, Axios reported Wednesday. asserted
Axios → back → regulations
OpenAI’s Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe – who has said he’s interested in “mitigating catastrophic risks” – has given about $400,000 to political action group Dream NYC. asserted
he → say → NYC
It previously funneled some $2.5 million to New York State Assemblyman Alex Bores, a prominent AI safety supporter, for his failed campaign, according to AI site Transformer. uncertain
It → funnel → Transformer
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, one of the most prominent techies voicing alarm over AI, has committed $1 million to safety-focused political group Public First. asserted
Amodei → voice → First
It backs candidates who want to slow down or regulate AI development. asserted
who → back → development
AI safety doomers have donated at least $41,000 to Democrat Peggy Flanagan – a Sen. Bernie Sanders-backed Senate candidate in Minnesota who has called AI an “existential threat” to humanity, as The Post previously reported. asserted
Post → donate → humanity
Meanwhile, anti-regulation, pro-innovation groups have pumped massive sums to their campaigns of choice. asserted
groups → pump → choice
Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and OpenAI President Greg Brockman have plowed $25 million and $12.5 million, respectively, into super PAC Leading the Future. asserted
Andreessen → plow → Leading
It has used its war chest of $149 million to support candidates like moderate pro-business Democrat Melissa Bean in her Illinois congressional district, according to Transformer. uncertain
It → use → Transformer
The donations come amid a fierce debate over AI safety – with top companies including Anthropic and OpenAI advocating for development slowdowns even as they race to advance their own technology. asserted
they → come → technology
Meanwhile, warnings that AI could harm humanity — and opposition to the massive data centers powering the tech — have only grown louder on both sides of the aisle. uncertain
AI → harm → aisle
Pro-AI safety donors include Aryan Bhatt, who works at Redwood Research, a Berkeley, Calif.-based group with cozy ties to AI giant Anthropic. asserted
who → include → Anthropic
The research firm co-authored a bombshell report last month detailing how a swarm of rogue OpenAI agents hacked rival firm Hugging Face, according to campaign finance reports. uncertain
swarm → co → reports
Bhatt has donated to congressional candidates including House Republican Bill Huizenga, who has advocated for strict AI guardrails focused on national security, according to OpenSecrets. uncertain
who → donate → OpenSecrets
Pro-regulation Public First Action has distributed funds to other PACs supporting a range of candidates. asserted
Action → distribute → candidates
Contributions include $1.6 million to North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee, a Dem, and nearly $1.5 million to Texas congressional candidate Carlos De La Cruz, a Republican, according to Transformer. uncertain
Contributions → include → Transformer
Guardrails Alliance has shoveled money to opponents of candidates pushing tech growth – including $412,500 againt Republican Aaron Flint in a House race in Montana, according to OpenSecrets. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. uncertain
Report → shovel → news
Overall, pro-safety donors told Axios they aren’t motivated by party affiliation so much as wanting to competing with tech giants pouring millions into electing pro-innovation candidates. asserted
they → tell → candidates
Leading the Future told Axios is wants to cultivate a broad coalition because tighter AI regulation will need 60 votes to pass in the Senate. asserted
regulation → lead → Senate
The polarizing topic has led some donors to pull back – Brockman reportedly nixed a planned second $25 million donation from tech bigwig-backed super PAC Leading the Future after internal revolt at OpenAI. uncertain
Brockman → lead → OpenAI
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 15 Oct 2026