A16z and OpenAI's Greg Brockman back $100M 'Leading the Future' pro-AI super PAC
Aug 25, 2025
Key Points
- Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman launch Leading the Future, a $100M+ super PAC network to oppose strict AI regulation ahead of midterm elections.
- The group targets four states and will support candidates opposing an 'AI FDA' framework that would require government approval before model deployment.
- Backers including 8VC's Joe Lonsdale and Perplexity signal Silicon Valley's rightward shift, with the network pledging bipartisan support for industry-friendly AI policy.
Summary
Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman are launching Leading the Future, a $100M+ network of political action committees and organizations designed to advocate against strict AI regulation ahead of midterm elections.
The group will operate across four states: New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio. It plans to deploy campaign donations and digital advertising to support industry-friendly policies and oppose candidates it believes will stifle AI development. Leading the Future says it wants "sensible guardrails" rather than total deregulation, directly opposing regulatory models backed by tech figures worried about catastrophic AI risks.
A core policy dispute centers on whether the U.S. adopts an "AI FDA" framework requiring government review and testing of models before deployment. Such approval could delay releases by years and burden smaller companies and open-source development. Current industry practice looks nothing like this. DeepSeek ships models without updating model cards, simply uploading to Hugging Face and asking users to run their own benchmarks. A regulatory requirement would upend that speed and create compliance friction favoring well-resourced incumbents.
Leading the Future aligns with White House AI czar David Sachs, a frequent critic of AI doomers. The group will operate through federal and state PACs plus a 501(c)(4) organization and expects to launch its AI campaign later this year.
Other backers include 8VC managing partner Joe Lonsdale, Perplexity, and angel investor Ron Conway. The group commits to supporting both Democrats and Republicans. This bipartisan posture reflects a broader realignment in Silicon Valley. Marc Andreessen backed Donald Trump last year after previously supporting Democrats, marking a notable swing toward conservative candidates.