Tech giants are pouring billions into AI and crypto while spending patterns reveal a stark digital divide. Congress torpedoed its own crypto bill despite massive lobbying, Anthropic is betting big on startup loyalty, and AI usage shows extreme wealth concentration.

October 7, 2026 — 312 words / ~2.1 min

Stories covered:

  1. Crypto Lobby Spent $200M While Congress Killed Its Own Bill
  2. Anthropic Bets $1,000 Per Startup That You'll Stay Hooked on Claude
  3. Top 1% of AI Users Outspend the Bottom Half Combined