OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia Each Hit Record Lobbying Spending in Q3 2026
Nvidia led the trio with $2.2 million in Q3 2026 lobbying, ahead of Anthropic’s $2.1 million and OpenAI’s $1.5 million—records for all three. Their agendas included AI safety, export controls, antitrust, 6G and data-center energy costs.
Anthropic, OpenAI, and Nvidia each reached their highest-ever quarterly lobbying expenditures between July and September 2026, according to federal disclosures. Nvidia led the group with $2.2 million spent, followed closely by Anthropic at $2.1 million and OpenAI at $1.5 million.
For context, the figures are not unusual compared to established Big Tech players. Microsoft has spent at least $2 million per quarter going back to 2021, and Google regularly exceeds $3 million — including this quarter. Apple also set a record this quarter, spending $3.1 million, the first time the company has reported exceeding that threshold in a single quarter.
The lobbying efforts covered a wide range of policy areas. Anthropic engaged on AI-related provisions in the Kids Online Safety Act, export control provisions in the AI Overwatch Act, Trump’s executive order renaming AI “Super Intelligence,” and the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would place data center energy costs on developers. OpenAI lobbied Congress, the White House, the Small Business Administration, and the Commerce and State Departments on topics including cybersecurity evaluations for frontier models, AI safety oversight frameworks, and antitrust protections for information sharing. Nvidia focused on issues including 6G networks, responsible AI design, competition policy, quantum computing, and export controls.
The scale of engagement marks a significant shift for some of these companies. OpenAI did not spend $1 million in a single quarter until 2026, and had not exceeded half a million until late 2024. Anthropic’s previous single-quarter high was just over $1 million. This quarter is also the first in which Nvidia surpassed $2 million.
The spending surge comes in the lead-up to the midterm elections, with issues like data center development and AI safety drawing increased public and legislative attention. The disclosures suggest AI companies’ involvement in policymaking may continue to grow regardless of which party holds power after the elections.