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A Tech-Worker-Backed Super PAC Brings $5M to Big Tech’s $100M AI Fight
A new super PAC backed by tech workers is aiming to level the playing field in the AI policy debate, taking on deep-pocketed opponents with a fraction of their budget. The Guardrails Alliance launched on Thursday, drawing support from employees at major tech companies, labor unions, and advocacy groups. Its goal: push for meaningful AI regulation at a time when Big Tech is spending heavily to shape the rules.
Democratic operatives Shaunna Thomas and Leah Hunt-Hunt-Hendrix are leading the effort. As they told The New York Times, “Our fundamental belief here is that people still have the power to stop this autocratic takeover of the Trump administration and the tech sector.”
Guardrails positions itself as a populist counterweight to the massive war chests of pro-industry groups. The PAC currently has about $5 million and aims to raise $15 million during the 2026 election cycle. That’s a modest sum compared to adversaries like Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by OpenAI President Greg Brockman and other tech leaders, which has amassed more than $100 million.
“This is a grassroots movement of everyday tech workers demanding their companies develop and deploy AI responsibly,” said a spokesperson for Guardrails. “We’re bringing a $5 million knife to a $100 million gunfight.”
Guardrails’ first major move is to support Alex Bores, a New York congressional candidate who has become a target of Leading the Future. Bores, a former tech executive, is running in the Democratic primary next week. He has championed the RAISE Act, a first-of-its-kind AI safety law in New York that drew immediate backlash from Silicon Valley.
Earlier this year, Leading the Future began airing attack ads against Bores, prompting a counter-campaign. On Thursday, Bores shared an ad on X featuring the parents of Adam Raine, a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged interactions with a ChatGPT-like AI. The ad spotlights the human cost of unregulated AI and the need for stronger safeguards.
Bores is also receiving support from Public First Action, another pro-regulation super PAC backed by Anthropic. That group entered the fray in February, backing candidates who favor legislation similar to the RAISE Act.
The 2026 election cycle is shaping up to be a battleground over AI policy, with competing super PACs spending tens of millions to influence candidates. Guardrails hopes that its grassroots model—relying on small donations from engineers, data scientists, and other tech workers—can offset the financial firepower of industry giants.
“The tech workers building this technology know its risks better than anyone,” said Thomas. “They want a say in how it’s governed.”