OpenAI, Anthropic boost lobbying as AI policy fights intensify

My take: Federal lobbying disclosures for Q2 2026 show Anthropic spent $1.97 million between April and June, up 26% from the prior quarter, while OpenAI spent $1.2 million, an 18% increase. Together, the two leading AI labs surpassed $3 million in a single quarter for the first time. For context: Anthropic has already spent more in the first half of 2026 ($3.5 million) than it spent in all of 2025 ($3.1 million).

The issues they're lobbying on include export controls, cybersecurity, and AI safety standards. This isn't abstract policy: it's the industry making sure that when the rules get written, they get to write them.

For any business or creator that depends on these tools, what gets decided in Washington over the coming months has direct consequences: it can open or close access to models, change prices, or establish requirements that affect how AI can be used. Is your organization following these debates?