Chris Stewart, Brad Carson Announce New Organization and Bipartisan Super PACs to Support AI Safeguards
Effort will encourage AI transparency and safeguards while countering anti-safeguard super PACs in 2026. 97% of Americans want AI safety rules.
WASHINGTON, DC – Former U.S. Representatives Chris Stewart (R-UT) and Brad Carson (D-OK) today announced plans to form a new nonpartisan 501(c)4 organization, Public First, committed to educating Americans on key AI issues and advancing an AI public policy agenda that prioritizes the public interest and promotes transparency and safeguards for industry.
Carson and Stewart also announced two separate independent expenditure-only political action committees (Super PACs), one Republican and one Democratic, to support candidates committed to defending the public interest against those who aim to buy their way out of sensible AI regulation. The Super PACs will focus on electing candidates who champion responsible tech policies that reduce harm and protect against AI’s worst risks.
The two former lawmakers expect to raise $50 million for the efforts.
As anti-safeguard super PACs deploy nine-figure war chests to kill commonsense guardrails around AI, this network stands as a counterforce that will defend the public interest.
“This isn’t a partisan issue – it’s about whether we’ll have meaningful oversight of the most powerful technology ever created,” said Chris Stewart. “We’ve seen what happens when government fails to act on other emerging technologies. With AI, the stakes are enormous, and we can’t afford to make the same missteps.”
“Polling consistently shows significant public concern about AI and overwhelming voter support for guardrails that protect people from harm and mitigate major risks,” said Brad Carson. “We’re building a coalition that puts the public interest first and ensures that AI innovations benefit all Americans while guarding against risks to our children, jobs, national security, and humanity.”
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