Lever Time Why Is The AI Industry Afraid Of Alex Bores?
Apr 9, 2026
Alex Bores, a New York Assemblymember and former Palantir engineer now running for Congress, discusses why Big Tech mobilized massive ad campaigns against him. He recounts leaving Palantir, crafting New York’s AI safety law with audits and incident reporting, and why regulating AI matters for jobs, kids, and the environment. He also explains industry divisions and the stakes for national versus state rules.
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Leaving Palantir Over ICE Contract Changes
- Alex Bores quit Palantir after executives planned to renew an ICE contract without contractual guardrails allowing deportation use.
- He led the project for DOJ work, saw scope shift from HSI anti-trafficking to civil immigration enforcement, and left when executives refused safeguards.
Getting Attack Mailers Delivered To Your Own Mailbox
- Bores receives three mailers weekly and daily texts from the super PAC attacking his record, creating surreal encounters with neighbors.
- He describes picking up flyers of lies about him in his own mailbox and riding elevators holding them with constituents.
State Law Imposed Real Safety Accountability On AI Firms
- The RAYS Act required top AI makers to publish and adhere to safety plans, report critical safety incidents, and submit to third-party audits.
- Bores framed these as basic responsibilities to avoid tobacco/fossil fuel-style denial and to enforce accountability before deployment.