Two Former US Congressmen Announce Fundraising for Candidates Supporting AI Regulation

Two former U.S. congressmen announced this week that they're launching two tax-exempt fundraising groups 'to back candidates who support AI safeguards,'
reports The Hill, 'as a counterweight to industry-backed groups.'

Former Representatives Chris Stewart (Republican-Utah) and Brad Carson (Democrat-Oklahoma) plan to create separate Republican and Democratic super PACs and raise $50 million to elect candidates 'committed to defending the public interest against those who aim to buy their way out of sensible AI regulation,' according to a press release...

The pair is also launching a nonprofit called Public First to advocate for AI policy. Carson underscored that polling 'shows significant public concern about AI and overwhelming voter support for guardrails that protect people from harm and mitigate major risks.' Their efforts are meant to counter 'anti-safeguard super PACs' that they argue are attempting to 'kill commonsense guardrails around AI,' the press release noted...

The super PAC is reportedly targeting a Democratic congressional candidate, New York state Assemblymember Alex Bores, who co-sponsored AI legislation in the Albany statehouse.


'This isn't a partisan issue — it's about whether we'll have meaningful oversight of the most powerful technology ever created,' Chris Stewart says in their press release.

'We've seen what happens when government fails to act on other emerging technologies. With AI, the stakes are enormous, and we can't afford to make the same missteps.'

Read more of this story at Slashdot.