AI Firms Fund Policy Push

Major AI companies are funding policy papers and new think‑tanks to shape public debate, as a March 2026 poll found 55% of Americans say AI will do more harm than good. (theguardian.com) On April 6, OpenAI published a 13‑page paper titled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age” that proposes robot taxes, a public wealth fund and pilots of a shorter workweek. (cdn.openai.com) OpenAI framed the document as a starting point for policy debate and announced related safety fellowships and a growing Washington policy presence. (cdn.openai.com) Anthropic launched the Anthropic Institute on March 11, 2026, consolidating internal research teams and naming co‑founder Jack Clark to lead its public‑benefit work. (anthropic.com) Anthropic also disclosed a $20 million donation to the political group Public First Action in February to fund public education and candidate support on AI safeguards. (anthropic.com) Lobbying and influence spending around AI has surged: Bloomberg reported about $130 million in AI‑related lobbying fees for the year, with $37.2 million in the fourth quarter alone. (news.bloomberglaw.com) Companies are opening Washington offices and funding policy research as Congress debates new AI rules and the 2026 election cycle looms; OpenAI has been planning a permanent D.C. office since 2025. (cnbc.com) Journalists and watchdogs say the pattern risks blurring public‑interest research and corporate advocacy, and an analysis this year found many policy shops still do not fully disclose donors. (startupfortune.com) OpenAI and other firms say their papers are meant to spark public discussion; Sam Altman told Axios the OpenAI blueprint is “a starting point,” even as calls grow for clearer funding disclosure. (axios.com)