OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia Spent Combined $7.5 Million On Lobbying in Q3
Three AI companies spent a total of $7.5 million trying to influence the US federal government in the third quarter of 2026. According to an analysis by POGO of newly filed reports, each company spent more on lobbying in one quarter than ever before. Their combined spending was 22% higher than in the previous quarter and about 60% higher than in the same period a year earlier.
The companies are working on issues that could affect everyday life. New federal rules could change AI safety requirements, limits on selling computer chips to other countries, legal responsibility for copyright use, and who pays for the electricity used by local AI data centers.
The Numbers Behind the Records
Each company spent more on lobbying in a single quarter than it ever had before.
Nvidia spent about $2.2 million, marking the first time it had spent more than $2 million in one quarter. Anthropic came next, spending about $2.1 million. That was roughly twice as much as its previous quarterly record in 2025. OpenAI reported spending about $1.5 million, according to The Verge's analysis of the reports.
OpenAI's spending has grown especially quickly. The company did not spend more than $500,000 in a single quarter until late 2024. It did not pass $1 million in a quarter until 2026. This shows how quickly it has expanded its work with government officials in Washington.
What Each Company Reported Lobbying On
The companies reported working on issues including limits on chip exports, child safety, copyright, and who pays for the electricity used by data centers.
Nvidia reported lobbying on 6G networks, designing AI responsibly, competition rules, quantum computing, and export controls. Export controls are government rules that limit what companies can sell to other countries. These rules could affect Nvidia's ability to sell advanced computer chips to customers overseas.
Anthropic reported lobbying on AI-related parts of the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill about protecting children online, and on export controls under the AI Overwatch Act. The company also worked on an executive order about what advanced AI or superintelligence should be called, as well as the Ratepayer Protection Act. That bill would shift electricity costs away from ordinary customers who pay utility bills and toward the companies that build data centers.
OpenAI reported contacting Congress, the White House, the Commerce Department, the State Department, and the Small Business Administration. Its reported topics included copyright, safety tests for the most advanced AI models, plans for government oversight of AI safety, and antitrust protections for companies that share information with competitors. Antitrust rules are designed to prevent unfair competition.
Still Playing Catch-Up With Big Tech
Older technology companies still spend more on lobbying than the newer AI companies, but the difference is getting smaller.
It is important to compare these figures with spending by other technology companies. Microsoft has reported spending at least $2 million per quarter on lobbying since 2021, according to The Verge. Google regularly spends more than $3 million per quarter. Apple also set a new record this quarter, spending $3.1 million. Its lobbying covered intellectual property, tariffs, child-safety rules, competition policy, and making computer chips in the United States.
The newer AI companies are quickly expanding their work with government officials in Washington, but established technology companies have an advantage. They have spent years building relationships with government officials and learning how the system works.
At a White House lunch with President Donald Trump in late September, AI leaders agreed to a voluntary AI safety agreement. Trump called the agreement "morally binding," although reports said it had no legal way to force companies to follow it. Lobbying reports suggest that, at the same time, the companies were also having more detailed policy discussions with lawmakers and federal agencies. These discussions were separate from the high-profile White House event.
Lobbying reports show only the federal spending that companies disclose. They do not show everything the companies do to influence policy. Meetings with senior officials, work through trade groups, public campaigns to influence opinion, and efforts at the state level may not be included in these figures.
What Comes Next
The issues behind this quarter's record spending are likely to remain important as the midterm elections approach.
Lobbying may stay at a high level while federal officials continue to debate AI safety, chip exports, data-center electricity use, and copyright. Both major political parties have shown interest in shaping AI policy. These important questions remain unresolved as the United States heads toward the 2026 midterm elections.
If control of Congress changes, lawmakers could propose stricter government oversight. That could give these companies an even stronger reason to maintain a large presence in Washington.