AI firms fund think‑tanks
Major AI companies are funding policy papers and think‑tanks as part of an effort to improve public perception amid rising public scepticism of AI. Coverage frames this activity as an industry‑level reputational investment timed to influence policy debates and public opinion. (theguardian.com) (theguardian.com)
Major AI companies are funding think‑tanks and publishing policy papers to counter rising public scepticism of artificial intelligence. (theguardian.com 1) (theguardian.com 2) OpenAI published a 13‑page policy blueprint, Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age, on April 6, 2026. (cdn.openai.com) Anthropic launched the Anthropic Institute on March 11, 2026, saying the internal research arm will study AI’s economic, social and security impacts and report externally. (anthropic.com) Polling shows public trust in AI is weak: a Quinnipiac University national poll released March 30, 2026 found 76 percent of Americans trust AI “hardly ever” or “only some of the time.” (poll.qu.edu) The industry is also expanding media and policy footprints: OpenAI acquired the tech podcast TBPN on April 2, 2026 and has announced plans for a permanent Washington, D.C., office to deepen policy engagement. (openai.com) ( ) Critics and watchdogs are raising transparency flags: Politico reported a nonprofit pitched tech firms to pay $100 million each for an AI‑safety effort, and reporting this month documented nonprofit research groups surprised by undisclosed company funding. (politico.com) ( ) Think‑tank funding is historically opaque: public trackers and academic analyses find many U.S. policy institutes do not fully disclose donors or amounts. (thinktankfundingtracker.org) ( ) Capitol Hill is active on AI this spring: the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee scheduled a roundtable, “Building an AI‑Ready America,” for April 15, 2026 as lawmakers continue oversight and policy drafting. (littler.com)
