During the third quarter, spanning July through September, Nvidia, Anthropic, and OpenAI reported their highest-ever lobbying expenditures. Nvidia led the group with $2.2 million in spending, followed by Anthropic at $2.1 million and OpenAI at $1.5 million. These figures represent significant growth for the firms, as OpenAI previously had not exceeded $1 million in a single quarter until this year.
Anthropic focused its efforts on legislative topics including the Kids Online Safety Act, the AI Overwatch Act, and the Ratepayer Protection Act. Meanwhile, OpenAI engaged with federal entities such as the Small Business Administration and the Commerce Department regarding cybersecurity evaluations for frontier models and antitrust protections. Nvidia directed its lobbying toward 6G networks, quantum computing, and export control policies.
Apple also reached a record high in lobbying spending, reporting $3.1 million for the quarter. The company focused on intellectual property, tariffs, and domestic semiconductor manufacturing. These industry-wide efforts coincide with a period of increased interaction between tech CEOs and government officials, including a late September meeting with President Donald Trump regarding AI safety commitments.
The surge in lobbying activity reflects the growing importance of policy shaping for AI firms as they prepare for shifts in Congressional control following the midterm elections. Companies are increasingly addressing concerns related to data center energy costs, AI safety frameworks, and competition policy. Industry analysts expect this trend of high-level engagement to continue regardless of future political outcomes.
