AI use surges among policymakers

AI is no longer just a research tool in Washington (DC)—it's starting to shape how policymakers form opinions, according to Penta Group data. Penta Group surveyed 2,060 U.S. federal policymakers and senior staff across Congress, the administration, and federal agencies, and found that 27% say AI informs their perspective on a topic—up from 17% in 2025—putting AI on par with traditional sources like experts and web searches. Six in 10 policymakers say they use AI at least once a day and are most likely to turn to it for background research on policies and issues (42%), writing and editing statements, memos, and reports (40%), and brainstorming (34%). Republican policymakers are about 1.2 times as likely as Democratic policymakers to use AI daily—69% compared to 57%.