tech
Anthropic ramps up lobbying spending amid AI policy fights
Anthropic spent more on lobbying in the first half of 2026 than it did all of last year.
TL;DR
- Anthropic spent nearly $2 million on lobbying in Q2 2026, focusing on export controls, cybersecurity, and AI safety standards.
- Anthropic's total lobbying spending for the first half of 2026 exceeded $3.5 million, surpassing their entire 2025 expenditure.
- Other major AI companies also increased their lobbying efforts, with Meta spending $5.99 million, Google $3.57 million, and Microsoft $2.69 million in Q2 2026.
- OpenAI spent $1.2 million in Q2 2026, focusing on issues including copyright, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
- Lobbying efforts are centered on government AI safety standards, export controls, and regulatory approaches, particularly concerning the Trump administration's actions.