Republicans risk a political backlash if they fail to confront Big Tech and reject campaign money from pro-AI groups, Sen. Josh Hawley said, adding that the industry's $300 million lobbying effort is already shaping policy in Washington.
"These people want something in exchange for [their financial support], and it's not just access," the Missouri Republican told the Financial Times. "They want you to toe the line on their agenda. They want to spin to get influence."
However, he added that Republicans should be "in the business" of putting people first.
The Missouri Republican's comments come as political action committees backed by artificial intelligence executives and major tech firms amass hundreds of millions of dollars ahead of the midterm elections.
One such group, Leading The Future, has reportedly raised about $140 million, including tens of millions from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman.
Hawley said lawmakers in both parties should refuse the funding, aligning himself with progressive Democrats who have also called for candidates to reject money tied to the AI industry.
"When there's a human cost, there will be a political cost," Hawley said, pointing to concerns about children exposed to harmful AI content and rising energy demands tied to the technology.
Hawley has been one of the most vocal critics of Big Tech in Congress, frequently backing bipartisan efforts to regulate artificial intelligence.
He previously broke with the Trump administration over efforts to limit state-level AI regulation and has continued to support allowing states to pursue their own rules.
"This is something I've talked to the president about directly on more than one occasion," Hawley said. "It is vital that we allow that important work to go forward."
The debate over AI policy has intensified as some in Washington push for light-touch federal oversight while opposing stricter state laws.
The White House has encouraged Congress to adopt baseline protections, particularly around child safety, but has also cautioned against what it sees as overly restrictive state policies that could hinder U.S. competitiveness.
Hawley said that approach risks leaving Americans exposed while giving too much power to tech companies.
"To say that we're not going to do anything federally, but we want to stop the states from doing anything at all is a mistake, and I've consistently opposed that," he said.
He also warned that the growing influence of the tech lobby is a major obstacle to meaningful reform.
"I'm worried that the Senate's behaving more like there's a sign on the door that says 'Property of Big Tech,'" he said. "It is time to change that."
If Congress does not act, Hawley said AI development will favor wealthy industry leaders at the expense of ordinary Americans.
"I don't have any confidence that this technology will just magically evolve in a way that is pro-worker and pro-family," he said. "I think it will evolve in a way that benefits the billionaires who control it, and will be severely detrimental potentially to just about everybody else."
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