BallotBench puts nine AI agents to work predicting the 2026 US midterms

Thoughtful Lab says BallotBench tests whether nine AI agents can forecast the 2026 US midterms better than experts and prediction markets. An organizer says each agent has a sandbox, internet access and a $500 budget, and updates forecasts daily. A builder says the agents will forecast 863 federal and statewide races, down to the county. The team plans to compare their accuracy with superforecasters, pundits and Kalshi and Polymarket crowds after the November 3 election.