Meta to Launch California Super-PAC Supporting Pro-AI Political Candidates
August 28, 2025
In a strategic move to influence technology policy, Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Tuesday the launch of a California-focused political action committee (PAC) aimed at backing candidates who support innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) and advocate for lighter regulatory measures.
The new super-PAC, named Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California, will endorse and financially support candidates running for state-level offices from any political party who promote policies favoring AI development over stringent regulations. Meta plans to invest tens of millions of dollars through this PAC, positioning itself as one of the top political spenders in the state ahead of the critical 2026 gubernatorial election.
California is set to elect its next governor in November 2026, with incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom, who has gained significant national attention through his political confrontations with former President Donald Trump, expected to be a leading figure in the race. While the governor’s office has not yet provided a comment on Meta’s announcement, the move underscores the growing intersection of technology companies and state politics, especially in California, a key hub for tech innovation.
Brian Rice, Meta’s Vice President of Public Policy, emphasized the rationale behind the initiative, stating, “Sacramento’s regulatory environment could stifle innovation, block AI progress, and put California’s technology leadership at risk.” Rice noted that the state’s regulatory efforts, which have been among the strictest in the nation concerning AI and social media, might hinder technological advances and impact how tech companies develop their products.
The leaders of the PAC will be Brian Rice and Greg Maurer, another public policy vice president at Meta. The company’s initiative follows a trend among major tech firms leveraging political spending to build influence in state capitals. Companies such as Uber and Airbnb have historically used similar strategies to shape regulatory environments favorable to their operations.
Meta’s push comes amid intensifying competition in Silicon Valley’s AI sector, where the company is investing billions of dollars to enhance its AI capabilities and develop new revenue streams. By supporting candidates inclined toward innovation-friendly policies, Meta seeks to protect and advance its business interests in a highly regulated landscape.
This development also coincides with similar activities in the AI policy arena. For example, venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman recently helped launch Leading the Future, a super-PAC network focused on AI issues, further illustrating the growing political mobilization around this transformative technology.
California’s approach to regulating AI is closely watched nationwide, as state officials work on safety, transparency, and consumer protection rules that could set precedents for other regions.
Meta’s new PAC reflects the company’s commitment to influencing the policy framework governing AI, highlighting the broader conversation about the balance between innovation and regulation in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
— Reuters / The Hindu
