Several OpenAI employees are putting their own money behind a political group that wants tighter rules for frontier AI labs, directly opposing a much richer super PAC backed by OpenAI president Greg Brockman.
WIRED reports that seven current OpenAI employees and one former employee have donated more than $215,000 to Guardrails Alliance, a super PAC that launched last month with $5 million in initial funding. The group says it is supported by tech workers, unions and other organizations, and it is trying to raise $15 million during the election cycle.
The money is small next to Leading the Future, the pro-industry AI super PAC funded with more than $100 million from tech leaders. Brockman and his wife, Anna Brockman, have committed $50 million to that effort, according to WIRED.
The biggest disclosed OpenAI-linked donation to Guardrails Alliance came from Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe, a research engineer at OpenAI since 2022. He gave $200,000, according to WIRED. Cerón Uribe told WIRED he had spent four years working on OpenAI research aimed at reducing possible social harms from AI, and said he worried that work would not matter unless it became enforceable limits on private companies.
Gabriel Wu, an OpenAI safety researcher, donated $5,000, WIRED reported. Wu said his contribution was meant to counter Leading the Future and political spending aimed at keeping AI from being regulated.
Two OpenAI alignment researchers, Julie Steele and Jason Wolfe, each gave $5,000, according to Guardrails Alliance. David Farhi, a former OpenAI research manager who left last summer after seven years at the company, donated $3,000. Farhi told WIRED that Leading the Future was working against OpenAI’s mission by trying to shut down discussion of AI regulation before it develops.
The internal split is now on campaign finance forms
Guardrails Alliance gave WIRED some donor information before its first quarterly Federal Election Commission filing, due to become public July 15. WIRED reported that two current OpenAI employees are expected to appear in that filing, with five more current employees planned for later disclosures.
OpenAI has tried to keep company policy separate from Brockman’s political giving. An OpenAI spokesperson directed WIRED to a June blog post saying Brockman’s involvement with Leading the Future was personal and not done for OpenAI. The post also says OpenAI employees may take part in politics in their personal capacities, including through donations or advice to candidates and political groups.
Leading the Future has said it opposes policies it believes would restrict innovation and politicians who support them. The group tried to defeat Alex Bores, the author of New York’s AI safety law, in a congressional primary that he lost last month, WIRED reported. It has also supported pro-industry candidates in other races.
OpenAI global affairs chief Chris Lehane previously told WIRED he helped create Leading the Future and has generally advised Brockman on political donations, while not handling the super PAC’s daily operations.
Jesse Hunt, a spokesperson for Leading the Future, denied to WIRED that the group is trying to suppress AI debate. He said the super PAC has supported federal AI rules and has backed a range of candidates and policymakers.
Guardrails Alliance says it will not match tech money dollar for dollar
Shaunna Thomas, a cofounder of Guardrails Alliance and a Democratic political organizer, told WIRED the group does not need to equal Leading the Future’s spending. She said $15 million would let Guardrails Alliance follow its opponent into more races, while relying on public skepticism toward AI industry spending.
Guardrails Alliance is not the only political vehicle opposing Leading the Future. Public First Action, a super PAC backed by a $20 million donation from Anthropic, has said it will promote AI safeguards and counter pro-AI industry groups in 2026.
Both Guardrails Alliance and Public First Action supported Bores in New York’s 12th congressional district primary. WIRED reported that pro-industry and pro-safeguard groups spent $27 million in that race. Thomas said Guardrails Alliance is also considering support for Democrats in 2026, including in California’s 34th congressional district.
Guardrails Alliance is expected to disclose additional donors in its public filing, including former Andreessen Horowitz partner John O’Farrell, though WIRED said his contribution amount was not clear. A representative for O’Farrell did not respond to WIRED. O’Farrell left Andreessen Horowitz earlier this year and has criticized former colleagues in a New York Times opinion piece for allegedly using Leading the Future to pressure politicians over AI governance.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
