Inside Anthropic’s state-by-state plan to ratchet up AI rules - Politico

Anthropic is pursuing a state-by-state strategy to advocate for stricter AI safety legislation, according to a Politico report published July 15, 2026. The approach distinguishes Anthropic from OpenAI, which has focused its lobbying efforts on streamlined federal rules rather than a patchwork of state-level laws.

The company has been meeting with state lawmakers and governors to push for legislation that would impose stricter safety requirements on AI models, including mandatory testing and disclosure obligations.

The report notes that the strategy could create a complex regulatory environment for AI companies, with potentially different compliance demands across states. Anthropic has framed its initiative as a 'race to the top' for safety, while critics suggest the approach may serve to slow down competitors who lack the resources to comply with 50 separate regulatory regimes. The federal government has not yet passed comprehensive AI legislation, leaving states to act independently.