AI Regulations Bring Deluge of Lobbying Efforts to DC

Businesses and trade groups are reportedly scrambling to have a say in federal artificial intelligence (AI) regulations.

That’s according to a report Wednesday (July 23) from the Financial Times (FT), which said that more than 500 organizations lobbied the Trump administration and Congress regarding AI between January and June of this year.

That figure, based on the FT’s analysis of federal disclosures released this week, is on a par with the first six months of 2024 but has almost doubled since 2023. The report noted that this spotlights the way the AI sector, backed by tech giants and wealthy investors, is hoping to influence policy amid heated debate about the technology.

“The U.S. government is not only a gigantic potential customer but also a public validator of new technology approaches,” Tony Samp, head of AI policy at law firm DLA Piper and a lobbyist for companies such as OpenAI and Boston Dynamics, told the FT. “Unlike in years past when the government was often viewed as a hindrance, the business community increasingly views the U.S. government as a key partner.”

The report added that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had told regulators, officials and bankers at a Federal Reserve Tuesday (July 22) that the “government has got to embrace this technology.”

He added: “It will be able to do everything better.”

According to the FT, OpenAI’s lobbying efforts began in 2023 as lawmakers took a closer look at regulating artificial intelligence. In that first year, the company spent $380,000 on lobbying, a figure that has since more than quadrupled, with OpenAI spending $1.8 million just in the first half of 2025 to lobby the White House and Congress.

In other AI news, PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote Wednesday about Apple’s artificial intelligence woes, and the remedies the company could take to overcome them.

These include an “tariff” on all AI apps in the App Store of 3-5%, a joint venture with Meta as that company spends heavily on AI, and even acquiring OpenAI.

“None of these moves are small,” she added. “But the market is moving too quickly for Apple to buy another year with demos or promises. Chipping away at the margin and banking on brand loyalty to stick it out won’t save Apple. If it wants to stay relevant, it needs to act decisively.”