Meta leads technology lobbying while artificial intelligence developers target antitrust regulations

Meta spent $5.9 million lobbying federal lawmakers in Washington during the third quarter of 2026, marking the highest expenditure among major technology companies for that period. Yahoo Finance and Semafor both reported that the spending came as competition in the artificial intelligence sector intensified. [1][5]

During the same quarter, artificial intelligence developers OpenAI and Anthropic lobbied lawmakers regarding information sharing rules between technology firms. Federal lobbying disclosures reviewed by Semafor showed that both companies sought to clarify how firms can exchange details without violating antitrust laws. [1]

Anthropic focused its lobbying efforts on the Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act, according to public disclosures. Semafor reported that this legislation would permit artificial intelligence laboratories to coordinate on security risks and could be incorporated into upcoming defense policy legislation. [1]

OpenAI listed artificial intelligence security on its filings without specifying individual bills. Big Tech refers to dominant technology corporations, including Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, which hold substantial market capitalization. [1][10]