Congress leans on ChatGPT as its go-to AI tool
▼ Summary
– OpenAI’s ChatGPT accounted for roughly 90% of Congress’s AI spending, totaling about $100,580 across 798 transactions out of $113,740 in total AI spending.
– Anthropic’s Claude was the second most-used AI tool, with $13,160 spent across 37 transactions.
– Democratic offices spent $54,165 on AI tools, more than three times the $15,782 spent by Republican offices.
– The spending data covers House offices, committees, and institutional accounts from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024.
– Congressional staffers use AI tools for tasks like writing memos, summarizing legislation, responding to constituents, preparing hearing materials, and drafting social media posts.
OpenAI has emerged as the dominant provider of artificial intelligence tools to the U.S. Congress, capturing the vast majority of government spending on such technology over the past year. According to House disbursement records analyzed by CNBC, lawmakers and their staff spent roughly $100,580 on ChatGPT across 798 separate transactions during the 12-month period ending March 31. That figure represents nearly 90% of the at least $113,740 total outlay on AI tools by House offices, committees, and institutional accounts.
Anthropic’s Claude ranked a distant second, pulling in $13,160 across 37 transactions. The spending data reveals a notable partisan divide as well. Democratic offices shelled out $54,165 on AI purchases, more than triple the $15,782 spent by their Republican counterparts.
The totals likely understate the true scope of AI adoption on Capitol Hill, since they exclude usage of free accounts or tools bundled into broader software contracts. Still, the numbers offer a rare window into how Congress is embracing generative AI in its daily operations.
Staffers have turned to ChatGPT and similar platforms for a wide range of tasks, including drafting memos, summarizing and analyzing legislation, responding to constituent inquiries, preparing hearing materials, sorting through policy research, and even composing social media posts. The reliance on these tools reflects a broader shift in legislative workflows, where AI is increasingly treated as an essential aid rather than a novelty.
(Source: TechCrunch)
