OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia Report Unprecedented Lobbying Activity
This summer was a whirlwind for AI lobbyists, with Anthropic, OpenAI, and Nvidia all hitting their highest lobbying expenditures from July to September, according to federal disclosures. Nvidia led the pack, shelling out $2.2 million, closely followed by Anthropic at $2.1 million and OpenAI at $1.5 million. While these figures might seem hefty, they’re fairly standard compared to other major tech players in Washington. For instance, Microsoft has consistently spent over $2 million each quarter since 2021, and Google often exceeds $3 million, including this quarter. This trend signals that these AI companies are keenly aware of the importance of influencing policy.
During this time, tech CEOs were prominent in Washington, notably attending a White House lunch with President Trump in late September, which resulted in a “morally binding” AI safety agreement. The lobbying disclosures indicate that numerous discussions were taking place behind the scenes, especially as Trump was preparing to appoint his AI czar and task force. With Democrats likely to regain some influence in Congress after the midterms, AI firms may find it increasingly crucial to connect with lawmakers who view industry regulation as a potential political advantage.
Anthropic provided a comprehensive list of legislation, executive orders, and other matters it lobbied on in the third quarter. This included AI-related elements in the Kids Online Safety Act, export control measures in the AI Overwatch Act, Trump’s executive order rebranding AI as “Super Intelligence,” and the Ratepayer Protection Act, which seeks to address energy costs for data centers.
OpenAI’s lobbying efforts appear to be a reaction to the aftermath of the Hugging Face incident, although the disclosures only cover broad topics. Besides tackling copyright issues, OpenAI engaged with Congress, the White House, the Small Business Administration, and the Commerce and State Departments on cybersecurity assessments for advanced models, frameworks for AI safety oversight, and antitrust protections for information sharing. Nvidia focused its lobbying on Congress and various federal agencies, addressing topics like 6G networks, responsible AI design, competition policy, quantum computing, and export control regulations.
Apple also had a record-setting quarter, spending $3.1 million and addressing issues such as intellectual property, tariffs, online safety for kids, competition, and domestic semiconductor production. It engaged with legislation aimed at requiring app stores to verify user ages. This marks the first quarter where Apple has reported lobbying expenses exceeding $3 million.
The disclosures reveal that leading AI companies are becoming more proactive in shaping policy, especially as the midterm elections approach. OpenAI didn’t even cross the $1 million mark in lobbying in a single quarter until this year, and it didn’t exceed half a million until late 2024. Anthropic’s highest expenditure last year was just over $1 million in a single quarter. This quarter also marks the first time Nvidia has spent more than $2 million. With pressing issues like data center development and AI safety on voters’ minds, the efforts of AI lobbyists are likely to ramp up, regardless of which party holds power next year.
