Meta launches $10M+ super PAC to back AI-friendly California candidates

Meta is launching a new super PAC in California with a budget reportedly in the tens of millions of dollars to support state-level political candidates who favor tech-friendly policies, particularly those with a loose approach to regulating artificial intelligence. The move positions the social media giant to significantly influence California’s 2026 midterm elections and gubernatorial race, where regulatory decisions could shape the future of AI development and tech innovation.

What you should know: The super PAC, called Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (Meta) California, will target candidates who support policies favorable to the tech industry.

• Meta policy executives Brian Rice and Greg Maurer are expected to lead the political fundraising effort.
• The timing aligns with California’s 2026 elections, when the state will vote for a new governor and other key positions.

Why this matters: California has been at the forefront of AI regulation efforts, creating potential friction with tech companies seeking to maintain innovation freedom.

• The state successfully passed a law in 2024 protecting actors’ digital likenesses but has faced challenges with broader AI safety legislation.
• Bills targeting election misinformation deepfakes and seeking protections against “critical harm” caused by AI have encountered resistance.

What they’re saying: Meta executives frame the initiative as protecting innovation from regulatory overreach.

• “Sacramento’s regulatory environment could stifle innovation, block AI progress, and put California’s technology leadership at risk,” said Brian Rice, Meta’s vice president of public policy.

The bigger picture: Meta’s political spending reflects a broader strategy to influence policy through financial leverage.

• The company has spent $13.7 million on lobbying this year, with roughly $8 million in the first quarter alone.
• This lobbying expenditure vastly outpaced that of other major tech companies, according to OpenSecrets data.

What’s next: The super PAC will likely become active as California’s 2026 election cycle approaches, potentially influencing races that could determine the state’s regulatory approach to AI and technology policy.