Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude AI model, has registered a political action committee with the Federal Election Commission. The employee-funded AnthroPAC will allow contributions capped at $5,000 per worker to support political candidates. This strategic move follows the company’s ongoing legal and policy disputes with the Trump administration over restrictions on military use of its technology.
The San Francisco-based artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has officially entered the political arena by filing to create a political action committee. The Anthropic PBC Political Action Committee, known as AnthroPAC, was registered as a separate segregated fund authorized to make donations from employee contributions.
This structure is commonly used by other major technology firms, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. In the 2024 campaign cycle, PACs for those three companies contributed over $2.3 million to U.S. political candidates, with donations skewing toward GOP candidates according to campaign finance data.
The company’s move occurs amid a significant conflict with President Donald Trump’s administration. In February, Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s technology after a dispute with the Pentagon.
The military demanded the removal of safeguards prohibiting the Claude AI model from being used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous lethal weapons. Anthropic refused this ultimatum, leading to further government action.
In March, the company filed a federal lawsuit challenging its designation as a national security “supply chain risk,” which barred Pentagon contractors from doing business with it. Anthropic argued this was retaliation for its refusal to loosen AI restrictions for military use.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the designation. The judge found the government’s actions likely violated the company’s First Amendment and due process rights.
This increased political engagement comes as artificial intelligence legislation becomes a more prominent issue in Washington ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. The PAC filing underscores how AI developers are preparing to influence policy moving into 2027.
In February, a report stated Anthropic gave $20 million in donations to Public First Action, a group supporting efforts to develop AI safeguards. Anthropic has not publicly addressed the establishment of its new political action committee.
