Meta is rumored to be establishing a new Super PAC (Super PAC) named "Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (META) California" to promote technology-friendly policies in the local political environment of California, especially the formulation of regulations related to artificial intelligence regulation.
According toPolitico website reportThe funding scale of this super PAC may be as high as tens of millions of dollars. Although the specific amount has not been made public, it has already attracted great attention from the outside world.
Focus on loosening AI regulations
In recent years, California has actively promoted legislation on the application of artificial intelligence. Although it passed a bill in 2024 to protect the digital portrait rights of actors, it has encountered many challenges in comprehensively banning election false information and deepfake videos, and proposing restrictive clauses on the application of AI for "serious harm."
Meta's newly established super PAC is clearly intended to ensure that more policies tend to "loosen restrictions on AI development" before the 2026 California midterm elections and gubernatorial re-election, thereby preventing excessive regulation from affecting the competitiveness of Silicon Valley innovation.
Brian Rice, vice president of public policy at Meta, said: "The regulatory atmosphere in the California legislature could stifle innovation, hinder the development of AI, and put California's technological leadership at risk." Brian Rice and Greg Maurer, a senior policy executive at Meta, are said to be expected to become core leaders of this super PAC, actively operating political fundraising and candidate support plans.
Political resource investment by technology companies
Meta is no stranger to political and policy lobbying. According to data obtained by the OpenSecrets website, Meta spent $2025 million on lobbying in 1370 alone, including $800 million in the first quarter, far exceeding other major technology companies.
This time, Meta's involvement in the election through a super PAC shows that its lobbying strategy is no longer limited to Washington, but is expanding to US state politics, especially California, which is closely related to technology regulations.
For Meta, California, as a frontier of technological innovation and industry regulation, has a significant impact on the passage of any AI-related legislation, potentially influencing subsequent regulatory trends nationwide and even globally. Using super PACs to influence election outcomes and support candidates who are open to AI development will help secure growth opportunities for Meta and other tech companies.
The delicate balance between government and business
However, Meta's move could also spark controversy. As the issue of AI regulation garners increasing public attention, the use of large amounts of political funding by tech giants to influence elections could deepen public skepticism about corporate manipulation of policy. While forming super PACs is inherently legal, if their funding becomes substantial enough to influence the direction of specific regulations, it will inevitably spark debate about the tech industry's excessive interference in the democratic process.
Overall, Meta's establishment of a Super PAC is not just a political investment; it's also a race against time. With the 2026 election approaching, whether California will become a "pioneer" in loosening AI regulations or a "model of strict regulation" will likely depend on the direction of this political struggle.
