New York Assemblymember Alex Bores is launching a $30 million organization called "Who Decides" to unify Democratic candidates around a common artificial intelligence safety agenda ahead of the 2028 elections. The group, unveiled on Tuesday, aims to coordinate policy positions from the top of the ticket down to local races, according to the organization’s website. Bores, who previously gained national attention for his opposition to unchecked AI during a failed congressional campaign, stated that the goal is to address harms already visible to the public and prevent increasingly powerful systems from destabilizing the economy, democracy, and public safety.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative leaders, including President Donald Trump, have pushed back against immediate regulatory frameworks for the AI industry. In a series of social media posts on Monday, Trump rejected calls from both Republicans and Democrats to quickly regulate the sector, emphasizing a lighter-touch approach to innovation. The Republican perspective generally favors allowing market forces to drive AI development, arguing that premature regulation could stifle American competitiveness in a global race for technological dominance.
While the "Who Decides" group is explicitly a Democratic initiative, its focus on "AI safety" and "guardrails" intersects with recent statements from tech leaders like Elon Musk and heads of Anthropic and OpenAI, who have called for slowing development to build safety measures. Conservatives often frame these calls for regulation as potential barriers to entry for smaller competitors or as tools that benefit incumbent tech giants. The political divide remains sharp, with the right prioritizing deregulation and speed, while the left increasingly emphasizes safety and oversight.
What the Left Is Saying
Bores and his team argue that the current landscape lacks a cohesive Democratic strategy on AI, despite growing public concern. In the launch announcement, Bores said, "We don’t let five people write the laws for hundreds of millions of Americans. There is no reason to let them write the rules for AI," referencing top executives in the technology industry. The organization’s website notes that the lesson from Bores’ recent primary campaign is that "confronting the AI industry is fertile political ground" and that public demand for answers exists but remains scattered. The group intends to partner with local organizations and host national conferences to build this coalition.
The initiative aligns with recent calls from prominent Democratic figures, including former President Barack Obama, who urged the party to focus on AI last week. The website states that the group will reject corporate money or contributions from senior executives at frontier AI companies, positioning itself as a counterweight to industry-funded advocacy. Bores is launching the effort with his former chief of staff, Anna Myers, and has not yet clarified the specific legal structure of the organization, such as whether it will operate as a super PAC or a 501(c)(4) nonprofit.
What the Numbers Show
The "Who Decides" initiative is backed by a $30 million budget and will target 11 specific states identified as critical to the 2028 presidential primary and general election: South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, Virginia, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The group plans to conduct quarterly national and state polls to measure public sentiment and guide policy development in these regions.
Bores’ previous congressional campaign in New York attracted a combined $21 million in spending from super PACs backed by competing factions of the AI community. This spending occurred both in support of and opposition to his candidacy, highlighting the significant financial interests at stake in AI policy debates. Bores ultimately lost the primary to Democratic Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who is considered a likely winner in the general election for the seat previously held by Rep. Jerry Nadler.
The Bottom Line
The launch of "Who Decides" marks a strategic shift for Democratic operatives, moving from individual legislative battles to a coordinated, multi-state campaign to define the party’s AI platform before the 2028 election cycle. By focusing on swing states and rejecting industry money, the group aims to create a unified narrative on AI safety that contrasts with the deregulatory stance favored by President Trump and many conservative leaders. The success of this effort will depend on its ability to translate scattered public concern into a cohesive political agenda that resonates with voters in key battleground states.
Developments in the AI regulatory landscape are expected to intensify as the technology advances. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon recently issued a warning about the potential existential risks of AI, a view echoed by leaders at major AI firms. With both parties attempting to coalesce around policy agendas, the next few years will likely see increased spending and advocacy from groups like "Who Decides" as well as industry-backed organizations seeking to influence the outcome of the 2028 elections.