# US campaigns disclose $17m in AI spending since 2020

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-29T11:00:49Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/us-campaigns-disclose-17m-in-ai-spending-since-2020

## Summary

New Federal Election Commission data reveals at least **$17 million** in disclosed AI spending by **523 federal candidates and committees** since 2020. The figures, analyzed by *The Guardian AI*, show **80 campaigns** spent **$50,000 total** on OpenAI’s ChatGPT since 2024, with the **Republican National Committee** leading at nearly **$10,000**. Republican candidates like **Mike Lawler, John Kennedy, and Bill Cassidy** and Democrats **Ro Khanna and Ted Lieu** reported expenses, often listed as office costs or subscriptions rather than political services. OpenAI’s policies restrict some political uses of its tool.

Anthropic’s **Claude** saw **65 campaigns** report spending in 2026—up from near zero in prior years—totaling an undisclosed amount. **Tom Cotton’s** Arkansas Senate campaign led with **$4,000+** in reported expenses. **xAI** had **$5,000** in spending from **seven federal and two state-level candidates**, including **RFK Jr.’s** 2024 presidential campaign and Republicans **Dave McCormick and Thomas Massie**. Specialized AI vendors like **AmplifAI** (now owned by Triller) dominated earlier cycles with **$4.7 million** in 2022, but spending has tapered. **Daisychain**, a Democratic-aligned texting tool, saw **$300,000** in 2026, up from **$50,000** in 2024, with **Abdul El-Sayed’s** Michigan Senate campaign as the top spender. **Campaign Nucleus**, linked to former Trump strategist **Brad Parscale**, attracted **six-figure** Republican spending.

State-level AI spending across **California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Washington** totaled **$92,000** since 2022, with **Daisychain** and OpenAI leading. **DonorAtlas**, an AI prospect-research tool, saw **$4,000** in spending from the **California Democratic Party**. Deepfake tools like **ElevenLabs** and **Midjourney** had minimal reported use, with **$1,400** and **$1,600** spent respectively at the federal level. However, **$80 million** in ad spending supported AI-generated media in **164 political ads** this cycle, per the **Wesleyan Media Project**, highlighting gaps in disclosure requirements for consultants, media firms, and PACs.

## Key points

- Federal campaigns disclosed **$17m** in AI spending since 2020 across **523 candidates and committees**
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT saw **$50k** in reported spending by **80 campaigns** since 2024, mostly Republicans
- Anthropic’s Claude had **65 campaigns** report spending in 2026, with **Tom Cotton’s** campaign leading at **$4k+**

## Why it matters

The data exposes AI’s growing role in politics, with specialized tools like texting platforms and prospect research dominating disclosed spending. Undisclosed spending by consultants and PACs may far exceed reported figures, raising transparency concerns as AI shapes campaign strategies.

## Sources

1. [New campaign disclosures reveal how much American political campaigns spend on AI tools](https://theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/29/political-campaigns-ai-tools-spending) (The Guardian AI, 2026-09-29)

## Cite

Digest AI, "US campaigns disclose $17m in AI spending since 2020", 29 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/us-campaigns-disclose-17m-in-ai-spending-since-2020

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