Meta Is Spending $65 Million to Elect AI-Friendly Politicians — And Naming Its Super PAC After Itself

Meta spending $65 million on AI-friendly politicians — super PAC election influence

Meta is spending $65 million this election cycle to back state politicians who are friendly to the artificial intelligence industry — its biggest political investment in company history. And in at least one state, Meta isn't even pretending to be subtle about it.

Four Super PACs, One Goal: Stop AI Regulation

According to federal and state filings surfaced by The New York Times, Meta is running four super PACs with a combined budget of $65 million:

  • Forge the Future Project — new, backing Republicans
  • Making Our Tomorrow — new, backing Democrats
  • American Technology Excellence Project — existing umbrella organization ($45M in September)
  • META California (Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California) — existing, California-focused ($20M in August)

The company also put $5 million into a separate California committee called "California Leads" in December, focused on moderate business policy.

The overarching goal: prevent state legislatures from passing AI regulations that Meta fears could "inhibit A.I. development."

Texas: "Forge the Future Project With Meta"

Meta's spending starts this week in Texas, where the company has three AI data center projects. The Republican-facing super PAC is named "Forge the Future Project With Meta" in its Texas filings — and lists Meta as its "controlling entity."

The effort is led by Brian Baker, a GOP strategist who has grown close to Zuckerberg. He said the PAC would fund advertising and get-out-the-vote operations to back "Republican leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to championing America's tech future."

The Texas context: State Senator Paul Bettencourt this month threatened legal action against Hood County after commissioners considered a moratorium on new data centers — exactly the kind of local friction Meta is trying to eliminate through political spending.

Illinois: Backing Democrats Who Won't Regulate

Meta's Democratic-facing PAC, Making Our Tomorrow, is spending in at least four State House races in Illinois. The state's Democratic legislature has already passed several AI regulations. Meta struck a deal last year to buy power from an Illinois nuclear plant for AI data centers.

Spokesman Peter Kauffmann described the group's mission as electing Democrats who "champion the policies, innovation and technologies that drive opportunity for all Americans."

Why State Elections? The Math Is Simple

Political operatives focused on AI interests are targeting state capitols because:

  • States are developing a patchwork of AI laws that the industry wants to prevent
  • State legislative races are far cheaper than federal races — $65 million can influence dozens of seats
  • A federal pre-emption law to overrule state measures is still a long shot; it's faster to just elect friendlier state lawmakers

A Bigger Shift for Meta

Meta was previously cautious about electoral politics — making small corporate PAC donations and letting executives like Sheryl Sandberg support candidates in personal capacities. That changed last year when VP Brian Rice said the company would start spending because of "inconsistent regulations that threaten homegrown innovation and investments in A.I."

The bipartisan structure — one PAC for Republicans, one for Democrats — lets Meta hedge regardless of which party controls a given state legislature.

The Bottom Line

Meta is spending $65 million to shape the political environment for AI regulation, and it isn't hiding it. The Texas PAC literally has "Meta" in its name and calls the company its controlling entity. Whether you see this as corporate civic engagement or an attempt to buy regulatory outcomes, it's now one of the most direct examples of a tech giant using election spending to protect a core business interest. The AI regulation battle just moved from courtrooms and Capitol Hill to state legislative races across America.