Build American AI to spend millions on data center ads in three US states
The Build American AI organization plans to spend millions of dollars on advertising to convince voters of the benefits of hosting data centers in their communities. The campaign will focus on Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin, TechCrunch reports.
Build American AI says it is affiliated with Leading the Future (LTF), a super PAC that supports artificial intelligence development. According to Bloomberg, the issue of data centers has become one of the central topics of state-level elections in these three states.
LTF funding
LTF is largely funded by venture investors Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, as well as OpenAI President Greg Brockman. According to Politico, the super PAC raised more than $50 million at its launch and mostly directed these funds to donations to individual politicians.
Politico also reported that LTF supports candidates who advocate for artificial intelligence and opposes candidates who lobby against the technology.
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OpenAI's position
In June, OpenAI publicly distanced itself from LTF. The company said it does not manage the committee's activities and has no information about its work. At the same time, OpenAI said that LTF had received support from Brockman and his wife Anna.
The company also stressed that groups promoting AI policy must clearly explain their positions and the interests they represent, and must not use astroturfing. The term refers to an organized paid campaign presented as grassroots public support.
According to The New York Times' calculations, Andreessen Horowitz is the largest donor to the midterm elections among those whose federal contributions have been disclosed: the firm has already directed more than $115 million. In addition to AI initiatives, it actively supports pro-cryptocurrency campaigns, including through the Fairshake super PAC.
