What’s new, in 20 seconds
- In federal lobbying reports for July 1 to September 30, 2026, filed on October 20, Meta reported $5.88 million in in-house lobbying expenses, Amazon $4.49 million, Google $3.23 million, Apple $3.09 million, Microsoft $2.44 million, Nvidia $2.15 million, Anthropic $2.11 million and OpenAI $1.53 million.
- Anthropic's in-house figure rose from $1.01 million in Q3 2025, and OpenAI's from $0.92 million, according to their year-earlier reports. Google's fell from $3.57 million. Anthropic also hired at least eight outside lobbying firms that each filed their own Q3 reports.
- OpenAI's filing lists 'AI-security collaboration and information-sharing, including proposed antitrust protections.' Anthropic's lists S.5105, the Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act, and export controls and distillation. Nvidia's lists the Chip Security Act and export rules.
Contents
AI lobbying in Q3 2026 shows up in the quarterly reports that companies filed with Congress on October 20, 2026. Meta reported $5.88 million in in-house lobbying expenses for July through September, the most of the eight big tech and AI companies covered here. Nvidia reported $2.15 million, Anthropic $2.11 million and OpenAI $1.53 million. Anthropic's figure roughly doubled from a year earlier, at a time when it's also pushing its own proposed federal AI safety bill. Semafor reported Meta's and Nvidia's totals, rounded, on October 21.
This story is based on the companies' LD-2 quarterly reports in the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act database (lda.gov) for Q3 2026 and Q3 2025, and Semafor's October 21 report, checked October 23, 2026. The reports say what companies lobbied on, not what position they took.
The short version
- Biggest spender: Meta, at $5.88 million, up from $5.84 million in Q3 2025.
- AI labs: Anthropic reported $2.11 million (from $1.01 million); OpenAI $1.53 million (from $0.92 million).
- Chips: Nvidia reported $2.15 million, up from $1.95 million. Semafor called it Nvidia's highest-ever quarter.
- Antitrust: OpenAI listed "proposed antitrust protections" for AI-security information-sharing; Anthropic listed a bill on collaborating against adversarial threats.
- Limits: these are in-house figures. Outside lobbying firms file separately, and this story doesn't add them in.
How much did AI companies spend on lobbying in Q3 2026?
Each company files an LD-2 report covering lobbying by its own employees, with a total expense figure for the quarter. Here are the in-house figures for the third quarter of 2026 and the same quarter a year earlier:
The figures, in order: Meta $5.88 million (Q3 2025: $5.84 million), Amazon $4.49 million ($4.35 million), Google $3.23 million ($3.57 million), Apple $3.09 million ($2.79 million), Microsoft $2.44 million ($2.02 million), Nvidia $2.15 million ($1.95 million), Anthropic $2.11 million ($1.01 million) and OpenAI $1.53 million ($0.92 million).
In percentage terms, Anthropic's figure rose about 109%, OpenAI's about 66%, Microsoft's about 21%, Apple's about 11%, Nvidia's about 10%, Amazon's about 3% and Meta's under 1%. Google's fell about 10%. Those are 9to5AI's calculations from the filings. Apple and Nvidia amended their Q3 2025 reports after filing, from $2.53 million to $2.79 million and from $1.90 million to $1.95 million; the comparison uses the amended figures.
The filing entity matters for Amazon and Google: their reports are filed by Amazon.com Services LLC and Google Client Services LLC.
What did the AI companies lobby on?
Each report lists general issue areas and the specific bills or topics lobbied. Highlights from the AI-focused filers:
| Company | Issue codes on Q3 2026 report | AI-related items named in the filing |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | CPI, SCI, DEF, CSP, ENG | AI provisions of the AWARE Act, AI OVERWATCH Act, MATCH Act, Chip Security Act, FRONTIER Act, FY2027 NDAA, Kids Online Safety Act and GUARD Act; S.5105, the Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act; "export controls and distillation"; the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R.9340) on data centers and energy |
| OpenAI | CPI, SCI, CPT | The Thune-Klobuchar AI research and accountability discussion draft; the Secure Frontier AI Act; frontier-model cybersecurity evaluations; "AI-security collaboration and information-sharing, including proposed antitrust protections"; AI and copyright |
| Nvidia | TRD, ENG, LBR, CPI, DEF | The Chip Security Act, AI OVERWATCH Act and Remote Access Security Act; export controls and Export Administration Regulations amendments; AI, quantum and energy |
| Meta | HOM, MIA, TAX, TRD, CPI, TEC, CIV, LAW, IMM, ENV | AI among a broad list of internet-policy items under CPI; emerging-technology export rules under trade |
Table 1The AI labs' filings name specific AI-security and export-control bills; Meta's lists AI within a much broader internet agenda. Source: each company's Q3 2026 LD-2 report on lda.gov.
OpenAI's report lists contacts with the House, the Senate, the White House Office, and the Commerce and State Departments; Anthropic's lists the House, the Senate and the White House Office. Amazon's report lists 23 issue codes, Google's 14, Microsoft's 13 and Apple's 13.
Why is antitrust on AI labs' lobbying reports?
Semafor's Ashley Gold reported on October 21 that OpenAI and Anthropic both lobbied on whether AI companies can share information without violating antitrust law. OpenAI's filing names "proposed antitrust protections" for AI-security collaboration. Anthropic's filing doesn't use the word antitrust, but lists S.5105, which Semafor connects to the same question.
Semafor also notes that Trump administration officials had criticized AI leaders for seeking such a carve-out, and that OpenAI's Chris Lehane has argued an antitrust exemption for pacing model development wouldn't be necessary. The filings themselves don't say whether the companies support or oppose any bill.
For the wider policy fights these filings touch, see the White House "Super Intelligence Force" charter and Brad Smith's call for global AI safety rules.
Do outside lobbying firms add to these totals?
They file their own reports. For Q3 2026, eight outside firms reported lobbying income from Anthropic, from Ballard Partners' $380,000 down to $50,000, plus a subcontractor working through one of them. Three outside firms reported income from OpenAI: Miller Strategies ($150,000), Akin Gump ($110,000) and DLA Piper ($50,000). This story compares only the companies' own reports, so the same money isn't counted twice.
What's confirmed, reported and uncertain
- Confirmed (LD-2 reports): every dollar figure above, the issue codes and the named bills.
- Calculated by 9to5AI: the percentage changes.
- Reported (Semafor, October 21): that Nvidia's Q3 was its highest-ever lobbying quarter, and the context on antitrust carve-outs.
- Uncertain: the companies' positions on the bills they lobbied, and later amendments: Apple and Nvidia both revised their Q3 2025 figures months after filing.
About this story
Based on the sources linked below. How we report: Editorial standards.
Sources · 10
- Anthropic LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database (filed October 20, 2026)
- OpenAI OpCo LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database (filed October 20, 2026)
- Nvidia LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database (filed October 20, 2026)
- Meta Platforms LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database (filed October 20, 2026)
- Amazon.com Services LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database
- Google Client Services LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database
Show all 10 sources
- Apple LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database
- Microsoft LD-2, Q3 2026 — Lobbying Disclosure Act database
- Q3 2025 LD-2 reports for the same eight companies — Lobbying Disclosure Act database (links in the 9to5AI data file)
- Meta tops Big Tech lobbying as AI labs talk antitrust — Semafor (October 21, 2026)
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