AI regulation is drawing together unusual political coalitions

The Verge’s Regulator column looks at how AI regulation is pulling together unusual and anxious coalitions in Washington. The politics are becoming less predictable as companies, advocacy groups, and political actors position themselves ahead of future fights.

That matters because AI policy is no longer a niche technical discussion. It touches national security, labor, copyright, child safety, speech, competition, and state-level power.

For AI companies, the regulatory environment may become as important as model capability, especially if alliances shift quickly around elections and high-profile harms.