In the years since the 2020 presidential election, Amy Kremer, a former tea party leader and prominent election denier, has shifted her focus to a new cause: curbing the influence and expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) companies. Kremer, who once led a rally near the White House demanding Congress overturn President Donald Trump’s electoral defeat, now chairs Humans First, a conservative advocacy group mobilizing opposition to AI development and data center construction.
Humans First announced plans for rallies targeting data centers across five states on July 18, aimed at harnessing conservative populist energy against what Kremer describes as unchecked Silicon Valley elites wielding disproportionate control over AI technology. “These people do not care about conservatives, about Republicans, or about the American people. All they care about is power and control and money,” Kremer said. She seeks greater public input and congressional action on AI oversight, criticizing tech executives for influencing Trump’s administration with inadequate caution on the technology’s risks.
The rising unease about AI spans the political spectrum, with concern over job losses, environmental impacts of energy-demanding data centers, and potential safety hazards. This bipartisan anxiety is reflected in alliances emerging between unlikely partners, such as Kremer’s Humans First and progressive advocates like former Democratic congressman Brad Carson, who leads Americans for Responsible Innovation. Carson compares the collaboration to historical resistance movements that united opposing ideologies in the face of existential threats.
The Trump administration has faced internal tensions regarding AI regulation amid pressure from its conservative base and Silicon Valley figures. Late last year, the White House adjusted AI policy to allow states more authority over data centers and emphasized child safety provisions after pushback from MAGA supporters. Conservative activists, including Kremer, recently urged stricter controls on AI’s computer hacking capabilities, challenging the administration’s generally hands-off stance toward the industry.
Kremer’s activism against AI emerged more prominently in 2024 after observing protests against data center expansion and recognizing a familiar anti-elite sentiment akin to the early tea party movement’s roots. Despite initial skepticism, she became increasingly alarmed by reports linking AI chatbots to instances of self-harm and suicide, leading her to fully commit to the cause.
Humans First was incubated by the Center for AI Safety, a San Francisco-based organization warning of AI’s potential catastrophic risks, including malicious misuse and autonomous system failures. The connection has sparked scrutiny and accusations from some Trump supporters and former White House AI officials, who view Humans First as a proxy for broader AI safety agendas cloaked in conservative rhetoric. David Sacks, an investor and former AI czar, criticized the group as a “censorship power play dressed up in safety language.”
Initially launched as a bipartisan effort, Humans First’s left and right factions eventually diverged due to differing political languages and constituencies. Alexander McCoy, formerly the group’s leader on the left and a Marine veteran who campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasized the unusual alliance formed around AI regulation despite stark political differences. The split allows each wing to pursue tailored strategies amid ongoing debates.
Amid growing public concerns about AI’s economic and security impacts, the Trump administration’s approach to the technology remains in flux. Kremer, alongside conservative figures such as Stephen K. Bannon and Brendan Steinhauser of the Alliance for Secure AI, has pressed for robust testing of new AI models. Their activism contributed to a scaled-back executive order signed by Trump that introduced limited federal oversight—an outcome Kremer hailed as a conservative victory that balances innovation with American values.
The evolving debate over AI regulation underscores the complex interplay of political ideologies and public safety concerns, highlighting a rare moment of convergence in an otherwise polarized landscape.