Anthropic and OpenAI: Battle Over AI Regulation

A Massive Financial Commitment to Influence AI Regulation

Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, recently made a substantial donation of $1 million to a Super PAC affiliated with Public First Action. This move is part of a broader strategy where Anthropic has doubled its support for a nonprofit advocating for stricter regulations on artificial intelligence. In total, the company has allocated an impressive budget of $40 million in anticipation of the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Conflict Among AI Giants

Public First Action, the group supported by Anthropic, is in direct opposition to another super PAC backed by Greg Brockman, president of OpenAI. Anthropic aims to influence the public debate ahead of the November elections and announced an additional donation of $20 million on Wednesday to a nonprofit associated with three allied super PACs. These PACs have already shown their support for candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

An Explicit Political Approach

Anthropic stated that its donation to Public First Action aims to make the political debate on AI regulation more visible. The company emphasized the urgency of the situation, exacerbated by the development of AI models such as Claude Mythos. "We need policymakers and candidates to propose measures that mitigate risks," the company clarified in a statement.

Transparency and Influence

Unlike super PACs, Public First Action is not required to disclose its donors. In June, the organization announced it had raised $80 million to date. Anthropic clarified that its donation cannot be used to directly influence the election of candidates for federal, state, or local offices. However, the organization has already directed funds toward advertisements supporting specific candidates, such as Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is working on legislation concerning AI and online child safety.

Strategic Political Alliances

Public First Action was co-founded by former Congressman Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah, and Brad Carson, a Democrat from Oklahoma. These two political figures also have their own allied super PACs, called "Defending Our Values PAC" and "Jobs and Democracy PAC," which support candidates from both parties.

Marked Opposition

The group supported by Anthropic, Public First Action, opposes Leading the Future, a super PAC funded by influential figures such as Greg Brockman from OpenAI, Marc Andreessen, and Ben Horowitz. OpenAI clarified that Brockman is acting in a personal capacity to support this group, which has already raised over $75 million.

Calls for Strict Regulation

CEOs of major AI companies have increasingly called for regulation led by the United States, but none have been as vocal as Dario Amodei. In a recent essay, Amodei proposed the creation of an agency similar to the Federal Aviation Administration to impose mandatory testing on certain advanced AI models and to ban the release of models that pose risks.

Resistance to Regulation

The Trump administration and other players in the AI industry have expressed reservations about these mandatory assessments. In May, Amodei also made a separate donation of $1 million to Public First, the only super PAC allied with Public First Action that supports both Republicans and Democrats.