Increased Lobbying Activity
It was a busy summer for AI lobbyists. Anthropic, OpenAI, and Nvidia each had their highest-spending lobbying quarter between July and September, federal disclosures show.
OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia had record lobbying quarters
Collectively, these companies spent nearly $6 million, focusing on issues such as cybersecurity and child safety.
Nvidia led the group with $2.2 million in spending, followed by Anthropic at $2.1 million and OpenAI at $1.5 million. While these figures are comparable to the long-established lobbying efforts of other major tech companies like Microsoft and Google, they signify a growing recognition among AI firms of the importance of influencing policy.
Behind-the-Scenes Influence
During this period, tech CEOs were already prominent in Washington, participating in a White House lunch that led to a 'morally binding' AI safety accord. The lobbying disclosures reveal extensive behind-the-scenes discussions, occurring before the appointment of an AI czar and task force. With upcoming midterm elections, AI companies are likely to intensify their engagement with lawmakers who view industry regulation as a key issue.
Key Policy Areas
Anthropic's lobbying efforts encompassed a range of legislative and executive actions. These included AI-related provisions within the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), export controls in the AI Overwatch Act, an executive order concerning 'Super Intelligence,' and the Ratepayer Protection Act, which addresses energy costs for data centers.
AI companies are becoming increasingly active in policymaking
OpenAI's lobbying, potentially influenced by recent cybersecurity incidents, focused on copyright, cybersecurity evaluations for frontier models, AI safety oversight, and antitrust protections. Nvidia engaged with various federal agencies on topics such as 6G networks, responsible AI design, competition policy, quantum computing, and export control.
Apple also had a record-breaking quarter, spending $3.1 million and engaging on issues including intellectual property, tariffs, kids online safety, competition, and domestic semiconductor manufacturing. It engaged on bills that seek to put the onus on app stores to verify users’ ages, for example. It’s the first quarter in which Apple has reported spending more than $3 million on lobbying.
Future Outlook
These disclosures highlight a significant increase in AI companies' engagement with policymaking, particularly in the lead-up to midterm elections. The substantial rise in lobbying expenditures by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia underscores the growing importance of issues like data center development and AI safety, suggesting continued and intensified lobbying efforts regardless of future political shifts.
