In short
- Anthropic has filed with the FEC to create an employee-funded political committee called AnthropPAC.
- The move follows a dispute with the Trump administration over the military’s use of the Claude AI model.
- This post shows how AI companies are planning to get involved in US politics.
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has filed documents with the Federal Election Commission to form a political action committee, highlighting the depth of US politics as the fight against AI policies and its ongoing battle with the White House escalates.
A company based in San Francisco registered Anthropic PBC Political Action Committee, known as AnthroPAC, in a statement on Friday. The committee was created as a separate fund linked to the company, and is allowed to make political contributions supported by employee contributions. According to a report in Bloombergthe contribution is up to $5,000 per employee.
Labor-funded political committees (PACs) allow companies to collect voluntary contributions from workers and distribute the money to candidates and political committees.
Other tech companies that have established political PACs include: Google, Microsoftand Amazon. In 2024, the three PACs alone gave more than $2.3 million to US political candidates, according to a financial analysis by the nonprofit group OpenSecrets. While donations went to both Republicans and Democrats, donations skewed toward GOP candidates during the 2024 campaign season.
Anthropic’s move comes amid growing controversy with President Donald Trump’s administration over the military’s use of its AI systems.
In February, Trump he ordered government agencies to stop using Anthropic technology following a dispute between the company and the Pentagon over how the military could use its Claude AI model. Although the US Department of Defense, Anthropic confirmed he refused The Pentagon wants to remove safeguards that prevent the system from being used for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons.
In March, Anthropic issued a federal a case challenging the government’s decision that the company is a “national security threat”, a designation that prohibits Pentagon contractors from doing business with the company. The company said the move was in retaliation for its refusal to loosen restrictions on military applications of its AI.
Last week, US District Judge Rita Lin printed first injunction, finding that the government’s actions violate Anthropic’s First Amendment and due process rights.
Anthropic has not spoken publicly about the creation of the PAC. However, it comes as artificial intelligence regulations are a growing issue in Washington ahead of the US mid-term elections, underscoring how AI developers hope to influence policies heading into 2027. In February, a report by Price CNBC said in 2026, Anthropic offered $20 million in a donation to Public First Action, a group supporting efforts to create AI security.
Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment Decrypt.
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