Meta is escalating its fight against state-level AI regulations with a major political move. The Facebook parent company is investing “tens of millions” of dollars into a new super PAC aimed at backing tech-friendly candidates and pushing back against policies that could restrict AI innovation, Axios reported.
The new political action committee, called the American Technology Excellence Project, will be led by Republican strategist Brian Baker and Democratic consulting firm Hilltop Public Solutions. Its mission: to promote U.S. tech leadership, advance AI progress, and ensure parents have more control over how their children experience online platforms and AI tools.
Rachel Holland, a Meta spokesperson, said the PAC will support politicians across party lines who favor AI development and strong domestic tech leadership.
The launch comes as Meta faces heightened scrutiny over child safety. Internal leaks previously revealed that its chatbots were able to engage in “romantic” conversations with minors, while whistleblowers alleged the company downplayed safety research.
The move also underscores the growing battle between Big Tech and state governments. With federal lawmakers failing to pass sweeping AI legislation, states have stepped in, introducing more than 1,000 AI-related bills this year alone. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom is weighing two major AI bills: SB 243, targeting AI companion chatbots to protect vulnerable users, and SB 53, requiring more transparency from large AI firms.
Meta’s new PAC joins a broader Silicon Valley push to weaken state authority over AI. Last month, venture firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI president Greg Brockman launched a $100 million super PAC with a similar mission. Earlier this year, a proposal to ban states from regulating AI for 10 years nearly made it into the federal budget.
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Meta has not disclosed which states the PAC will target or how large its staff will be, but the effort signals that the battle over AI policy in the U.S. is shifting rapidly to the state level.
