Josh Hawley Urges GOP To Stop Being 'Property Of Big Tech,' Reject Funding From Pro-AI Groups: 'There Will Be A Political Cost'

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) has issued a call to his Republican colleagues, urging them to decline financial contributions from pro-artificial intelligence (AI) political action committees (PACs). In an interview with the Financial Times, Hawley warned of potential political repercussions if Congress fails to regulate Big Tech, arguing that accepting funds from groups associated with OpenAI, Palantir Technologies, Meta Platforms, and venture capitalists like Andreessen Horowitz implies an expectation of influence. Hawley, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, expressed significant concerns regarding the societal and economic impacts of unregulated AI, including risks to children and rising electricity costs associated with the growing demand for data centers. He stated, "When there's a human cost, there will be a political cost," and criticized the Senate for acting like "Property of Big Tech" due to strong lobbying efforts. The discussion highlighted a broader national conversation about data center expansion and AI regulation. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) previously introduced the "AI Data Center Moratorium Act," which seeks to halt new data center projects exceeding 20MW until federal AI regulations are established. This comes as multiple super PACs, including 'Leading the Future,' have raised substantial funds to support candidates favoring lighter AI regulation.