Anthropic's $40M AI Regulation Push Before Midterms

Anthropic is stepping up its efforts to influence AI regulation ahead of the November midterm elections. The company is donating another $20 million to Public First Action, bringing its total commitment to $40 million. This nonprofit is tied to three allied super PACs that have supported both Republican and Democratic candidates. Anthropic states its donation is to raise awareness for this urgent policy debate, especially as AI models like Claude Mythos are developed. The company emphasizes the need for policymakers to mitigate risks. Public First Action is not required to disclose its donors, and it has previously routed donations to advertising highlighting specific candidates. For example, its first ad focused on Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn's work on AI. What's interesting is that Public First Action, backed by Anthropic, is positioned against Leading the Future, a Super PAC funded by figures like OpenAI President Greg Brockman. Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, has been particularly outspoken, suggesting a government agency similar to the FAA to impose mandatory testing and block risky AI models. This matters because the future of AI regulation is being actively shaped by major industry players.