Meta tops Big Tech lobbying as AI labs talk antitrust
Meta spent $5.9 million lobbying Washington lawmakers in the third quarter of 2026 — the most of any Big Tech firm during that period — as the AI race grew more competitive.
Meta led the way among Big Tech firms in lobbying Washington lawmakers during the third quarter of 2026, according to federal filings obtained by Semafor. The social media giant spent $5.9 million on lobbying efforts, a figure that surpassed even OpenAI and Anthropic, the two leading AI companies, in terms of spending. OpenAI's lobbying disclosures revealed that the company discussed the ability of AI firms to collaborate on sharing information without violating antitrust rules, as well as the Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act.
Anthropic, for its part, focused on the same antitrust bill, indicating interest in potential collaboration on security risks within the industry. While Meta's lobbying forms did not specify whether companies advocated for or against the proposals, the sheer volume of spending underscores the company's significance in the AI sector and the regulatory landscape.
The AI race has become increasingly competitive, putting pressure on the AI safety debate in Washington, as reflected in the growing lobbying activity by these industry titans. Other major tech players like Google, Amazon, and Apple trailed behind Meta in spending but still maintained substantial lobbying portfolios on various tech policy topics, including kids' online safety, immigration, taxes, education, and energy.
Nvidia, the dominant chipmaker, topped the list with its highest quarterly lobbying expenditure of $2.2 million, further cementing its influence in the Trump administration.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
