Leading the Future

Leading the Future is an AI industry super PAC opposing federal AI regulation, backed by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, and investor Joe Lonsdale. In the 2 June 2026 primaries it spent against regulation-minded candidates in California and Montana congressional races, and has committed over $100 million to the 2026 midterm cycle with the Louisiana runoff (27 June) next in its sights. Combined with the rival Public First Action PAC (backed by Anthropic at ~$50 million and favouring regulation), total AI industry PAC spending has reached $150 million — the largest organised AI industry electoral effort in US history.

The PAC funds congressional candidates by running advertising on healthcare, immigration, and jobs that makes no reference to artificial intelligence, effectively disguising its agenda from voters. Its first significant disclosure came via FEC filings from the 2026 midterm cycle, when the Campaign Legal Center flagged both PACs' advertising practices for opacity. The structure reflects the industry's assessment that AI regulation is not yet a voter-mobilising issue, while the goal is to install members of Congress likely to block federal AI oversight before the technology matures further.

Leading the Future's existence reflects a genuine policy split within the technology sector. Its backers argue voluntary self-regulation better serves AI companies than federal legislation; Anthropic's counter-PAC takes the opposite view. The two organisations are proxies for a deeper industry disagreement over whether permissive or regulated development is the safer long-term posture.