Nvidia, Google, Intel and Anthropic lobbied against AI chip export restrictions in Q3
Reports on lobbying during the third quarter show that major technology companies are opposing proposals to limit chip exports. These proposals are moving through the Senate's defense bill.
NVIDIA official newsroom (nvidianews.nvidia.com/bios/jensen-huang)
Some of the biggest companies and organizations in artificial intelligence spent the third quarter working in Washington against new limits on AI chip exports. Nvidia, Anthropic, Google, and Intel all lobbied against the proposals, according to Punchbowl News.
The report was published on October 20, 2026, and is based on lobbying disclosures for the third quarter of 2026. It comes as Congress continues to decide how strictly to control who can receive America's most advanced computer chips.
What the disclosures show
The lobbying focused on specific measures being considered as part of the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. This is an annual bill that must pass and provides funding for the US military. Lawmakers often add other policy measures to the bill because it almost always becomes law.
Three bills are at the center of the debate: the AI OVERWATCH Act, the Chip Security Act, and the MATCH Act. Each includes rules designed to control how AI chips are sent out of the country. Both Democrats and Republicans support these proposals, which is unusual in the current Congress.
The main goal is to strengthen US rules on exporting advanced AI chips. Sales to China are a major part of the debate. Supporters say this is a national security issue because they want to control who can access the hardware used to train the most advanced AI models.
Nvidia and AMD have also contacted the US government directly. By late September 2026, both companies had increased their efforts to reach the Trump White House and the Commerce Department. They want to stop or delay restrictions on AI chip sales to China.
Nvidia has already paid the bill once
Nvidia has a clear financial reason to oppose these restrictions. In 2025, the company recorded a $4.5 billion expense related to export rules that affected its H20 chips.
However, companies across the industry do not all agree. Anthropic is listed among the companies that lobbied during the third quarter, even though it has supported stricter export rules at times.
OpenAI adds another twist to the debate. The company previously called for strict limits on chip exports to China. However, research behind the Punchbowl report suggests that OpenAI may now be changing its position.
How we got here
Rules limiting exports of advanced AI chips have been in place for several years. Starting in 2022, the Biden administration increased restrictions intended to slow China's progress in artificial intelligence. In early 2026, the Trump administration relaxed some export rules, allowing officials to review certain chips on a case-by-case basis.
What this means
Whether the rules from the AI OVERWATCH Act, Chip Security Act, and MATCH Act remain in the final version of the bill will help shape future export policy. Lobbying reports for the next quarter should show whether companies are increasing their efforts or quietly accepting the final decision.
Nvidia and AMD's efforts to reach the Trump White House and the Commerce Department suggest that they see the administration as a possible ally. The Commerce Department's response could determine how any new law is put into practice.