Anthropic Forms AnthroPAC to Navigate AI Policy Challenges

Public First Action is a bipartisan advocacy group led by former U.S. Representatives Brad Carson and Chris Stewart. It campaigns for greater transparency, safeguards and oversight in advanced artificial intelligence as Washington debates whether rules should be set federally or by states. Its growing war chest matters because AI policy has become a major issue ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, with technology companies and allied political organizations spending heavily to shape how powerful frontier models are governed.

Anthropic said on July 22, 2026, it would give another $20 million to Public First Action, doubling its total commitment to $40 million after an initial $20 million donation announced on February 12. The Claude developer said rapid gains in frontier AI capabilities had made the policy debate more urgent and that the funding would support public education around transparency and safeguards. Anthropic has said its money cannot be used to influence the election of any federal, state or local candidate.

Anthropic and the U.S. Department of Defense are at odds over the acceptable-use policy for the Claude models, including whether AI may be used for defense and what restrictions should apply. The dispute is significant because the policy battle between AI companies and the Pentagon has expanded beyond model technology and deployment rules into Washington lobbying and congressional legislation.

Anthropic spent $1.6 million on U.S. federal lobbying in the first quarter of 2026, its highest-ever total for a single quarter. The increase came as its policy dispute with the Pentagon continued to intensify, indicating that the company is stepping up efforts to influence Congress and the executive branch and secure a voice in rules and regulations governing the use of AI in defense.