OpenAI and Anthropic surge past Nvidia in DC lobbying

OpenAI and Anthropic sharply increased their federal lobbying in Q2 2026, spending a combined $3.17 million — up 23% from the first quarter, according to CNBC. The jump signals how aggressively leading AI firms are trying to shape policy in Washington as pressure builds around regulation, copyright, cybersecurity, and export controls.

The standout figure was Anthropic’s $1.97 million, up 26% in just three months. That topped Nvidia’s $1.25 million and came close to Oracle’s $2 million. OpenAI spent $1.2 million, up nearly 18%, putting it within $50,000 of Nvidia. Compared with a year earlier, Anthropic’s lobbying spend has more than doubled, while OpenAI’s has nearly doubled.

Both companies told Congress they were lobbying on cybersecurity, copyright, cloud computing, and defence procurement. The timing matters: TNW notes that both companies are moving toward major IPOs and appear to be seeking a smoother reception in Washington ahead of the November midterms.

Big Tech and defence spending in Q2 2026

By contrast, the biggest tech incumbents were mostly steady. Five members of the “Magnificent Seven” plus Nvidia and Tesla spent a combined $21.25 million in the quarter, almost unchanged from the prior three months.

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• Meta led with $5.99 million, down 15%
• Amazon held near $4.36 million
• Google rose 25% to $3.57 million
• Microsoft increased 13% to $2.69 million

Their lobbying priorities centered on trade, China, taxes, and export controls.

The defence sector moved the other way. The eight largest US defence contractors cut combined lobbying spending 3.3% to $19.68 million. Lockheed Martin led at $4.18 million, followed by RTX and General Dynamics. L3Harris posted the steepest decline, down nearly 45%, while Boeing was the exception, increasing spending 13% to $2.77 million.

The raw totals still favor entrenched players — Meta alone spent more than OpenAI and Anthropic combined. But the growth trend is harder to miss. As the AI sector faces copyright lawsuits, export-control disputes, and an active fight over regulation, two of its biggest labs are spending like they expect Washington to matter as much as the market.