Anthropic ramps up lobbying spending amid AI policy fights

Anthropic’s lobbying expenditures in the first half of 2026 have surpassed their total for all of 2025, with nearly $2 million spent in Q2 alone. This significant increase reflects a broader trend of major AI companies investing heavily in lobbying efforts. Tech giants like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI are also substantially increasing their spending to influence regulatory decisions in Washington.

• 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.
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