AI PAC Independent Expenditures

FEC & state filing data through Feb 28, 2026 · Click any connection for details

AI companies and their executives are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the 2026 U.S. elections through a web of federal and state political committees and dark money groups. This tracker follows the money from three major spending networks — linked to OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta — that have collectively raised over $100 million to influence races across at least five states.

$14,916,870

in tracked independent expenditures by AI-linked PACs

Candidates targeted

States

58%

31%

11%

$8.7M supporting Republicans $4.6M supporting Democrats $1.6M opposing Democrats

By source network

Leading the Future

$10.6M

Public First / Anthropic

$2.8M

Meta (FTF + MOT)

$1.5M

Recent filings

Feb 28 UPD J&D PAC: Foushee (NC-04) spending hits $1.6M

Feb 27 NEW Making Our Tomorrow adds $89K across 4 IL races

Feb 25 NEW J&D PAC files $150K supporting Allred (TX-33)

Feb 23 NEW Meta gives $1.37M to Forge the Future (TX)

Key findings

$1.6M to unseat one lawmaker. Think Big (OpenAI-linked) is spending $1.6M opposing Alex Bores (NY-12) — the largest single-race spend opposing a candidate.
Funding both sides. All three networks back candidates in both parties.
Tens of millions in dark money. At least $30M of the ~$100M raised flows through 501(c)(4) nonprofits that do not disclose donors. Public First has received at least $30M from undisclosed sources; Build American AI, a 501(c)(4) in the Leading the Future network, is spending $10M+ on issue ads with no public donor disclosure.
Concentrated geographically. Texas alone sees spending from all three networks, suggesting its upcoming legislative session on AI policy is a key battleground.

FEC filings Statements & media Relationship Support spending Oppose spending

Why this matters — a guide to AI political spending

What are independent expenditures?

Independent expenditures are political spending made to support or oppose a candidate without coordinating directly with that candidate's campaign. The groups on this page are not donating to candidates — they are spending money on ads, mailers, and other efforts on their own, which under current law allows them to spend unlimited amounts.

Super PAC vs. 501(c)(4): Why the structure matters

A Super PAC can raise and spend unlimited money on elections but must publicly disclose its donors. A 501(c)(4) "social welfare" nonprofit can also spend on elections but is not required to disclose who funds it. Several networks on this page use both: money flows from disclosed donors into a Super PAC, but also from a 501(c)(4) that acts as a pass-through, effectively laundering the identity of some funders.

What is "dark money"?

Dark money refers to political spending where the original source of funds is hidden from the public, typically by routing donations through 501(c)(4) nonprofits. On this page, the clearest examples are Public First, which has received at least $30M from undisclosed sources, and Build American AI, a 501(c)(4) whose donors are entirely hidden from public view.

Why AI companies are spending on elections

The AI industry faces an approaching wave of regulation at both the federal and state level. By backing candidates in competitive races, these companies and their executives are trying to shape who writes those rules. The spending is strategic and spans both parties, suggesting the goal is building a broad bench of AI-friendly legislators.

What we can't see

This tracker is built from public filings with the FEC, the Texas Ethics Commission, and the Illinois State Board of Elections. It has significant blind spots: 501(c)(4) spending may not appear for months, some state expenditures are reported only in periodic bulk filings, and informal coordination only surfaces through investigative journalism. What appears here is a floor, not a ceiling.

Data sources. Federal data from FEC API and e-filings. Texas data from TEC. Illinois data from IL SBE (Committee 41081). Amounts reflect most recent filings as of date shown. Reporting sources. Entity connections and fundraising totals not in public filings drawn from NYT, POLITICO, Axios, and other outlets. Donalds FL-Gov spending reported by NBC News (Feb 12). Methodology. Tracks independent expenditure committees and state PACs with financial ties to major AI companies. "Support" and "Oppose" reflect committees' own filings. Dollar amounts rounded in visualizations, exact in underlying data. Purple dotted lines indicate organizational relationships, not direct financial flows.