US tech giants open their wallets for AI-friendly politicians

Meta spends millions to back AI-friendly politicians

Meta is spending $65 million this year to support US politicians sympathetic to the AI industry. The company is forming two new super PACs to influence elections, according to The New York Times.

One group, "Forge the Future Project," will target Republicans. The other, "Making Our Tomorrow," will focus on Democrats. They join two existing Meta-backed PACs.

Tech giants unite on political spending

Meta is not alone in this political push. A separate super PAC called "Leading the Future" has been formed with $50 million from prominent tech figures.

Its backers include venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, as well as OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman. The PAC's goal is to ensure AI-friendly candidates win in the coming mid-term elections.

This coordinated spending highlights the enormous financial stakes in the current AI boom. Companies are moving to protect their interests from potential regulatory hurdles.

Datacenter boom faces local backlash

The AI frenzy has triggered a massive expansion in datacenter construction to meet processing demands. This building spree is now facing significant grassroots opposition.

Communities are raising concerns about the strain on local resources, including:

• Increased electricity costs for residents
• Heavy consumption of water for cooling
• The sheer physical footprint of the facilities

Research from Data Center Watch indicates this opposition is having an effect. The group reports that 20 US server farm projects were blocked or delayed due to local pushback in the second quarter of 2025 alone.

Meta's massive building plans

Meta has unveiled particularly ambitious plans for new datacenter clusters, each requiring multiple gigawatts of power. One proposed cluster would cover an area comparable to most of Manhattan.

The industry acknowledges its public image problem. At last year's Datacloud Global Congress, one proposed solution was to secure support from political leaders to ease local tensions.

Federal government steps in

The Trump administration has intervened to address the growing conflict. It is brokering a pact between the datacenter industry and major tech "hyperscalers."

Companies involved include Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI. The agreement aims to establish voluntary principles around energy use, water consumption, and community relations.

Concurrently, the administration is working to prevent state-level regulations that could slow AI development. In December 2024, President Trump issued an executive order designed to penalize states that pass restrictive AI laws.

A legal task force targets state rules

While some states seek to legislate on AI risks like algorithmic bias and data privacy, the federal government is pushing back. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been empowered to lead an AI Litigation Task Force.

This task force will challenge state regulations deemed a threat to America's competitive position in the global AI race. The administration frames this as a matter of national economic and strategic importance.

Financial analysts note that the torrent of spending on AI infrastructure and model development is a key driver of US economic growth. They credit this investment with helping keep the economy out of recession.