John O'Farrell, who resigned from Andreessen Horowitz in 2025 after nearly 15 years at the firm, published an op-ed on Thursday criticizing AI industry political spending and describing efforts to thwart artificial intelligence regulation as a "huge mistake." O'Farrell's stern message, published in The New York Times, targeted the political action committee Leading the Future and his former peers for what he characterized as attempts to intimidate politicians engaging with AI governance questions. The criticism comes amid growing debate over AI regulation, with O'Farrell warning that the industry's political spending strategy—modeled after crypto industry tactics—will ultimately fail and damage public trust.
O'Farrell Criticizes Leading the Future PAC's $125 Million Fundraising
O'Farrell criticized the political action committee Leading the Future, which launched in August with the goal of elevating "candidates who support a bold, forward-looking approach to AI," according to a release. The PAC's backers include Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, SV Angel founder Ron Conway and AI software company Perplexity.
"The PAC has raised over $125 million --- not to make the case for their vision of AI policy, but, in my view, to intimidate politicians who appear to engage too aggressively with the question of how to govern AI," O'Farrell wrote in the op-ed. Andreessen Horowitz and Leading the Future did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Trump Signs AI Executive Order Last Week
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an AI executive order that was lauded by the tech industry and thin on specific details. The order asks companies, on a voluntary basis, to provide their AI models to the federal government to assess their capabilities ahead of a full release.
O'Farrell wrote in the Times that AI is not "just another technology," and that tech industry leaders should be working extensively to encourage politicians to get up to speed on its potential benefits and risks.
O'Farrell Compares AI Political Strategy to Crypto Industry Playbook
The playbook that Leading the Future and other PACs are using, O'Farrell wrote, comes from the crypto industry, which successfully managed to squash regulation by electing "industry-friendly politicians." Andreessen Horowitz contributed millions of dollars to a pro-crypto PAC called Fairshake while O'Farrell was at the firm.
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, the founders of O'Farrell's former firm, both said ahead of the 2024 election that they would contribute to PACs supportive of Trump's campaign. Their financial backing was due to what they called a better "little tech agenda."
Leading the Future Draws Sharp Criticism from White House
Leading the Future has drawn sharp criticism since its launch, including from officials inside the White House. OpenAI attempted to distance itself from the PAC earlier this month, stating that the company "does not direct the activities of LTF, or have visibility into their operations."
Pro-regulation PACs, including Public First Action, are opposing Leading the Future's efforts. O'Farrell said he doesn't support that PAC either, and argued that "huge political spending is toxic to our democracy."
O'Farrell Predicts Backlash Against AI Industry Political Spending
"I believe this attempted political infiltration by the AI industry will fail," O'Farrell wrote. "Americans believe the system is rigged by the wealthy and powerful. They're also deeply concerned about A.I. --- a backlash is building, and it will become fiercer when voters learn that a handful of billionaires are altogether spending nine figures, apparently in an effort to try to stop debates about regulation from further developing."
O'Farrell said the tech industry won't usher in balanced regulation by "silencing debate," but by "engaging seriously and earning trust."
"While I disagree with my former partners, none of my criticism is personal," O'Farrell wrote. "This is a question of what's best for America and the world."
FAQ
What did John O'Farrell criticize in his op-ed on Thursday?
John O'Farrell criticized the AI industry's political spending, specifically targeting the Leading the Future PAC and his former firm Andreessen Horowitz. He described efforts to thwart artificial intelligence regulation as a "huge mistake" and wrote that the PAC raised over $125 million "not to make the case for their vision of AI policy, but, in my view, to intimidate politicians who appear to engage too aggressively with the question of how to govern AI."
When did John O'Farrell resign from Andreessen Horowitz?
John O'Farrell resigned from Andreessen Horowitz in 2025 after nearly 15 years at the firm.
What did President Trump sign last week regarding AI?
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an AI executive order that was lauded by the tech industry and thin on specific details. The order asks companies, on a voluntary basis, to provide their AI models to the federal government to assess their capabilities ahead of a full release.
