OpenAI Opens First Washington Lobbying Office, Q1 Spending Doubles to $1 Million

According to The New York Times, OpenAI opened its first lobbying office in Washington this week, located blocks from the White House, to advance data center expansion and copyright policy. The company's federal lobbying spending in the first quarter of 2026 reached $1 million, double the prior-year level.

Rival Anthropic also established a Washington office in April 2026, with its annual lobbying spending hitting $3 million, up 10-fold year-over-year. The trend reflects intensifying AI industry efforts in the capital, as major tech companies ramp up policy influence.