Congress’s favorite AI tool? ChatGPT

In Brief Posted: 9:40 AM PDT · August 3, 2026 Image Credits:Getty Images OpenAI’s ChatGPT is Congress’s AI tool of choice so far in terms of money spent, according to a report from CNBC. OpenAI received roughly 90% of all spending on AI tools by House offices, committees and institutional accounts during the year ending in March 31, per House disbursement records. CNBC found that Congress spent around $100,580 across 798 transactions on ChatGPT, out of at least $113,740 in total AI spending. Anthropic’s Claude trailed in second place at $13,160 across 37 transactions. Democratic offices accounted for $54,165 in AI purchases, three times the $15,782 spent by Republican offices. The insights exclude any Congressional AI adoption from free accounts or AI bundled into broader software contracts. Congressional staffers are using ChatGPT and other tools to write memos, summarize and analyze legislation, respond to constituents, prepare hearing materials, sort through policy research, and even draft social media posts. Newsletters Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Related Latest in Government & Policy