AI Lobbying Spending: Who Is Lobbying on Artificial Intelligence
Published April 6, 2026 · Senate LDA disclosure data · Updated quarterly
Artificial intelligence has become the fastest-growing lobbying issue in Washington. More than 3,500 lobbyists now disclose AI-related work in their federal filings — a 500%+ increase since 2020. As Congress debates comprehensive AI regulation, companies across every industry are spending heavily to shape the rules.
The Scale of AI Lobbying
AI lobbying is not limited to tech companies. Pharmaceutical firms lobby on AI in drug discovery and FDA approval processes. Defense contractors lobby on autonomous weapons and AI surveillance. Financial institutions lobby on algorithmic trading regulation. The breadth of AI lobbying reflects how deeply the technology cuts across every sector of the economy.
Two LDA issue categories capture most AI lobbying activity: Computer Industry (CPI) — 63 organizations, $891.8M total spend — and Science/Technology (SCI) — 45 organizations, $807.6M total spend.
Top Organizations Lobbying on AI
| Rank | Organization | Industry | Total Spend | AI Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America | Pharmaceutical & Health Products | $135.8M | Science/Tech |
| 2 | Meta Platforms | Technology & Internet | $98.6M | Computer Industry |
| 3 | Amazon.com | Technology & Internet | $98.0M | Computer Industry |
| 4 | Lockheed Martin | Defense & Aerospace | $69.2M | Science/Tech |
| 5 | Alphabet Inc | Technology & Internet | $65.9M | Computer Industry, Science/Tech |
| 6 | Northrop Grumman | Defense & Aerospace | $62.9M | Science/Tech |
| 7 | Comcast Corporation | Telecommunications | $62.8M | Computer Industry |
| 8 | Boeing Company | Defense & Aerospace | $61.7M | Science/Tech |
| 9 | Raytheon Technologies | Defense & Aerospace | $60.8M | Science/Tech |
| 10 | AT&T Inc | Telecommunications | $57.3M | Computer Industry |
| 11 | Microsoft Corporation | Technology & Internet | $51.8M | Computer Industry, Science/Tech |
| 12 | ExxonMobil | Energy & Natural Resources | $46.5M | Science/Tech |
| 13 | Verizon Communications | Telecommunications | $44.8M | Computer Industry |
| 14 | Apple Inc | Technology & Internet | $41.9M | Computer Industry |
| 15 | General Dynamics | Defense & Aerospace | $38.6M | Science/Tech |
| 16 | Oracle Corporation | Technology & Internet | $31.9M | Computer Industry |
| 17 | Intel Corporation | Technology & Internet | $22.8M | Computer Industry, Science/Tech |
| 18 | Qualcomm | Technology & Internet | $21.6M | Computer Industry |
| 19 | TikTok Inc | Technology & Internet | $21.6M | Computer Industry |
| 20 | Nvidia Corporation | Technology & Internet | $16.3M | Computer Industry, Science/Tech |
What Companies Are Lobbying For (and Against)
The AI lobbying landscape splits along several fault lines:
- Regulation scope: Large tech incumbents often support targeted, risk-based AI regulation (similar to the EU AI Act framework), while smaller AI startups and open-source advocates push back against broad compliance requirements that could favor large companies.
- Copyright and training data: AI companies lobby against strict copyright liability for training data, while media companies, publishers, and content creators lobby for stronger IP protections.
- AI safety and testing: There is growing lobbying around mandatory safety testing, red-teaming requirements, and pre-deployment evaluation standards for frontier AI models.
- Export controls: Chip manufacturers and cloud providers lobby on AI chip export restrictions, particularly regarding China, while national security hawks push for tighter controls.
The Revolving Door in AI Policy
Many AI lobbyists are former congressional staffers and executive branch officials who worked on technology policy. This revolving door effect means that the people writing AI legislation often end up lobbying on it within a few years. See our revolving door rankings for the full data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money is spent on AI lobbying?
AI-related lobbying has grown dramatically, with spending on technology and science policy issues — which include AI regulation — exceeding hundreds of millions annually. The number of lobbyists working on AI issues has grown by over 500% since 2020, with more than 3,500 lobbyists now disclosing AI-related work in their LDA filings.
Which companies spend the most lobbying on AI?
The largest AI lobbying spenders include major tech companies like Meta, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, and Apple, as well as trade associations like the US Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable. Pharmaceutical and defense companies also lobby heavily on AI policy as it affects drug discovery, autonomous systems, and national security applications.
What AI issues are companies lobbying on?
Key AI lobbying issues include: comprehensive AI regulation frameworks, algorithmic transparency and accountability, AI safety standards, intellectual property and copyright in AI training data, AI in healthcare (FDA regulation), autonomous vehicles, AI in defense and national security, workforce displacement, and AI export controls.
Why has AI lobbying increased so much?
AI lobbying surged as governments worldwide began proposing comprehensive AI regulation following the release of large language models like ChatGPT in late 2022. Companies are lobbying to shape rules on AI safety, liability, copyright, and deployment restrictions — with billions of dollars in business impact at stake. The EU AI Act, state-level AI bills, and proposed federal frameworks have all triggered major lobbying campaigns.
About This Data
AI lobbying activity is identified through LDA issue codes (Computer Industry, Science/Technology) and specific issue descriptions mentioning artificial intelligence. Senate LDA filings updated quarterly. See our methodology.