Democrats run more anti-tech ads amid AI boom

An analysis by the Tech Oversight Project shared with Semafor found Democrats in more than 130 federal and gubernatorial races aired anti-tech or anti-data center ads this cycle, up from just two Democratic ads on those topics from 2020 to 2024, and used such messages four times as often as Republicans. The ads, which appeared in nearly every battleground state and three toss-up governor races, blamed AI for price-gouging, harm to children and healthcare denial, while data center-focused ads pressed Republicans on water use and threats to farmland. The group, mostly funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar's philanthropic network, said Democrats have "potentially found a winning message" and urged them to reject "business as usual in Washington, Silicon Valley fundraisers, and light-touch approaches."