Anthropic Nearly Tripled Its Lobbying Bill to $3.53 Million in Six Months | Editor's Pick Regulation

Anthropic nearly tripled its federal lobbying spending in the first half of 2026 to $3.53 million, outpacing OpenAI by more than $1 million, according to new federal disclosures. The Financial Times report says Anthropic added the Treasury Department to its list of agencies lobbied for the first time this quarter. OpenAI nearly doubled its own total to a record $2.22 million. The disclosures show industry pressure as rules for new AI model releases move to the top of the agenda, alongside efforts to shape decisions around data center construction and power supply. Across 11 major tech, social media, and AI companies and trade associations, total lobbying reached $41 million from January to June, up 8% from the same period in 2025, with 324 lobbyists counted in Q2.