Launching The AI Lobby: Tracking $225M in AI Lobbying, 400+ Bills, and the Companies Buying AI Policy

Today we're launching The AI Lobby — a free platform that tracks how the AI industry is shaping policy in America. With $225 million in lobbying spending, 400+ bills across all 50 states, 29 companies, 50 Congress members, and a growing enforcement database, it's the most comprehensive open tracker of AI's political influence available anywhere.

Why AI Lobbying Matters Now

AI is the most consequential technology since the internet — and the industry is spending hundreds of millions to make sure it gets regulated on its own terms. From OpenAI and Google to defense contractors and healthcare companies, the companies building AI are also the ones writing the rules for it.

The data tells a striking story: while Congress debates whether AI needs guardrails, the industry has already deployed an army of lobbyists — many of them former government officials — to shape every bill, every executive order, and every enforcement action. The AI Lobby makes this influence visible.

What's on the Platform

The AI Lobby covers the full landscape of AI policy influence:

• AI Legislation Tracker: 400+ bills across all 50 states and Congress, with status, sponsors, and AI-specific provisions
• Company Profiles: 29 major AI companies with lobbying spend, PAC contributions, revolving door connections, and legislative targets
• Congress Member Profiles: 50 key lawmakers with AI-related committee assignments, industry contributions, and voting records
• Enforcement Database: FTC, state AG, and international enforcement actions against AI companies
• Revolving Door Tracker: Former government officials now lobbying for AI companies, and former industry executives in government roles
• PAC Money: Political action committee contributions from AI companies to federal and state candidates

Key Findings

Our analysis of AI political spending reveals patterns that should concern anyone who cares about technology governance:

• AI lobbying spending has surged — companies are pouring record amounts into Washington as regulation looms
• State legislatures are the real battleground — while Congress stalls, states are moving fast with 400+ AI-related bills
• The revolving door is spinning — former regulators and congressional staffers are now representing the companies they once oversaw
• Enforcement is fragmented — the FTC, state attorneys general, and international regulators are all taking different approaches, creating a patchwork that benefits well-resourced companies

Part of TheDataProject Portfolio

The AI Lobby joins our growing network of government transparency platforms, including OpenLobby (federal lobbying), OpenSpending (federal contracts), OpenFeds (federal workforce), and AI Exposure (AI job displacement risk). Together, these platforms provide the most comprehensive open-access picture of how AI is reshaping government, policy, and the workforce.