Andreessen Horowitz-backed group to spend millions swaying US voters on data centers

A political advocacy organization called Build American AI, seeded with funding from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and its co-founder and CEO Marc Andreessen alongside longtime collaborator and former OpenAI CTO Greg Brockman, has quietly assembled a $25 million program to run voter education advertisements in seven competitive U.S. Senate states ahead of the November midterm elections. The campaign will focus on Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, deploying digital and local broadcast buys that frame data centers as critical infrastructure for economic development, job creation, and technological sovereignty. Internal documents reviewed by OpenPress Global Intelligence indicate the ads will emphasize data centers’ role in supporting AI innovation, cloud computing, and national security, positioning them as essential to American competitiveness. The initiative is being run through a hybrid nonprofit structure that allows for political messaging while maintaining ties to high-profile Silicon Valley backers.

The group’s formation comes just weeks after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer launched his own push for a legislative package aimed at accelerating U.S. AI and semiconductor capacity, including incentives for data center construction via the CHIPS Act framework. Andreessen and Brockman, both prominent supporters of AI infrastructure expansion, have publicly argued that regulatory delays and local opposition to data centers threaten U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence. Brockman, who left OpenAI in late 2023 following internal disputes over safety and governance, has been actively recruiting AI policy experts from both industry and academia to staff the campaign. Sources close to the effort confirmed that the $25 million budget is fully funded through a combination of a16z’s donor network and high-net-worth individuals from the Bay Area and Seattle technology sectors.

Build American AI’s strategic communications plan, obtained by OpenPress Global Intelligence, outlines a two-pronged approach: first, a six-week digital ad campaign on platforms including Meta, YouTube, and local news websites targeting voters aged 25 to 54; second, a ground game involving town halls and op-eds in regional newspapers such as the Arizona Republic, Detroit Free Press, and Cleveland Plain Dealer. The group has contracted with Rising Tide Interactive, a Democratic digital advertising firm known for its work with Senate and gubernatorial campaigns, while maintaining operational independence. According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, Build American AI is registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, allowing it to engage in limited political messaging without disclosing donors.

Critics, including public interest groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have already signaled plans to challenge the campaign’s framing, arguing that data center construction often exacerbates local water and energy strain without delivering promised economic benefits. Meanwhile, leading data center operators such as Equinix, Digital Realty, and CyrusOne have not publicly aligned with the group, though several have quietly contributed policy briefings to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The campaign’s launch follows a recent report from Goldman Sachs estimating that U.S. data center construction will require $700 billion in investment by 2030 to meet AI demand — a figure that underscores the stakes of public perception in shaping regulatory environments.

The emergence of Build American AI reflects a broader strategic realignment within the tech sector, where once-dominant software and platform companies are now pivoting toward physical infrastructure as a core business and policy battleground. As cloud and AI workloads surge, hyperscale operators are increasingly lobbying for streamlined permitting, tax incentives, and access to carbon-free energy sources. The move by a16z and Brockman signals that venture capital is no longer just funding startups but actively shaping the political narrative around the infrastructure that powers them. Companies like NVIDIA, whose GPUs underpin most AI training, have already benefited from data center expansion, but the broader ecosystem — from renewable energy providers to construction firms — stands to gain or lose depending on policy outcomes. Industry analysts at CBRE recently noted that data center markets in the Southeast and Midwest are poised for explosive growth, with Dallas, Atlanta, and Columbus emerging as top contenders for new facilities.

Financial markets have begun pricing in the policy tailwinds for data center REITs and energy utilities. Shares of Digital Realty and Equinix have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past six months, buoyed by strong earnings and forward guidance tied to AI infrastructure demand. Meanwhile, utilities like Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy have seen increased investor interest as they position themselves as preferred power providers for hyperscale campuses. The Build American AI campaign may accelerate this trend by creating a more favorable regulatory climate, particularly in states where gubernatorial and congressional races are tight. Banking With Billy AI, a global financial intelligence platform serving investors and analysts across every major market, has tracked a 40% increase in cross-border investment into U.S. data center projects in Q2 2024, with European and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds taking significant positions in core infrastructure funds.

Looking ahead, the most immediate impact of Build American AI’s campaign will likely be felt in state capitals and county planning boards, where local opposition to data centers has grown in response to concerns over water usage, grid strain, and property taxes. The group’s framing of data centers as national assets could influence permit approvals and utility rate cases. On Capitol Hill, the campaign may create momentum for a bipartisan legislative package that combines AI innovation incentives with energy and siting reforms. Longer term, the involvement of Andreessen and Brockman suggests that Silicon Valley is entering a new phase of direct political engagement — one that treats data infrastructure not as a utility but as a strategic imperative. As the 2024 elections approach, the intersection of AI policy, infrastructure investment, and voter messaging is becoming a defining feature of the tech-policy landscape, with consequences that will ripple far beyond the data center sector.