ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has accounted for nearly 88% of the total spending on AI services by the U.S. House of Representatives. This information was reported by CNBC, which analyzed expenditure reports from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
Congressional offices, committees, and administrative divisions spent a minimum of $113,740 on AI solutions. Out of this amount, ChatGPT received $100,580 through 798 transactions, making up 96% of the total activities. In contrast, Claude from Anthropic ranked second with $13,160 across 37 transactions.
ChatGPT was utilized in at least 71 congressional offices, or about one in six. Staff members employed these services for drafting bill summaries, preparing memos and hearing materials, as well as responding to constituents' inquiries.
Spending patterns revealed a partisan divide, with Democratic offices investing $54,165 in AI tools compared to $15,782 from Republican offices. Interestingly, Democrats have been more vocal about advocating for stricter oversight of AI developers, as noted by CNBC.
Data Reflects Partial Real-World Usage
The reported figures do not include free accounts or AI features bundled within broader software contracts, such as Microsoft Copilot. Senate expenditures are only partially accounted for, as their reports do not disclose software vendors.
The disparity in service usage can be attributed, in part, to the timing of introduction. In 2023, the House's digital service established an AI working group and distributed 40 ChatGPT Plus subscriptions to staff from both parties.
Lobbying Expenditures Rise for Both Companies
According to Issue One, OpenAI spent $1 million on federal lobbying in the first quarter of 2026, representing an 82.5% increase from the previous year. Anthropic, during the same period, expended nearly $1.6 million, more than tripling its spending compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Legislators and their aides require hands-on experience with various AI products well in advance of formulating industry regulations, stated Eric Petri from the Brennan Center for Justice.
"We want to ensure that taxpayer money is used to provide the government with the best available tools, rather than rewarding political favorites," he commented.
It is worth noting that earlier in March, the Pentagon identified Anthropic as a "supply chain risk," leading President Donald Trump to instruct federal agencies to discontinue using the company's technologies within six months. This decision came after the AI startup refused to lift a ban on using Claude for domestic surveillance.