US lawmakers are increasingly adopting AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok for research and daily tasks, marking a significant shift from earlier skepticism about the technology. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who resisted using AI as recently as June due to concerns about accuracy, now describes ChatGPT as “really valuable” for basic research questions. Warren began using the technology after observing her daughter’s usage, employing it to “start to approach a problem” with queries about demographics and statistics.
Other prominent skeptics are following suit. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who has held multiple hearings on ChatGPT, recently tested the platform with a historical question about Puritans in the 1630s and found it returned “a lot of good information.” Even Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) admitted to using AI “despite the fact that I think it’s going to destroy us,” highlighting the tension between concerns and practical utility.
Adoption at the highest levels remains inconsistent. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated she has never witnessed President Donald Trump using AI technology. Vice President JD Vance, however, declared himself a “Grok guy” in a November Fox News interview, praising Elon Musk’s AI chatbot as “the best” and “the least woke.” House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hasn’t used AI himself, citing lack of time during his speakership.
The learning curve has included some bizarre experiences. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) described an incident where Microsoft Copilot argued with him about factual information, insisting an assassination was a conspiracy theory despite evidence to the contrary. “It continued to fight with me,” Huffman said. “It was freaking weird.”
Platform preferences vary among lawmakers. While most use ChatGPT, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) prefers Anthropic’s Claude, citing the company’s focus on safety and ethics. Beyer was particularly impressed that Claude’s developers “put together their own Constitution on the ethical use” of AI, positioning themselves as “more enlightened” in the industry. This shift from skepticism to adoption among lawmakers could significantly influence future AI policy and regulation.
Key Quotes
Yeah, that’s changed. I pop that into ChatGPT and get an answer that’s better than a straight Google answer. I can get more detail, and more ways to slice and dice the numbers.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren explained her shift from AI skeptic to user, describing how ChatGPT now helps her with basic research questions about demographics and statistics. This represents a significant evolution for a lawmaker who resisted the technology just months earlier.
I use it, despite the fact that I think it’s going to destroy us.
Sen. Chris Murphy’s candid admission captures the paradox many lawmakers face: recognizing AI’s practical utility while harboring deep concerns about its long-term societal impact. This tension between usefulness and existential worry may shape future AI regulation.
It continued to fight with me, insisting that the whole assassination was a conspiracy theory. It was freaking weird.
Rep. Jared Huffman described his experience with Microsoft Copilot refusing to accept factual corrections, highlighting the real-world challenges of AI hallucinations and stubbornness that lawmakers are now experiencing firsthand as they adopt these tools.
I was very impressed with the fact that they actually put together their own Constitution on the ethical use. They seem to be — at least they’re positioned as — more enlightened.
Rep. Don Beyer explained why he prefers Anthropic’s Claude over other AI chatbots, emphasizing the company’s focus on safety and ethics. This suggests that ethical positioning may influence both consumer choice and potential regulatory favor among policymakers.
Our Take
The conversion of AI skeptics into users within Congress represents a watershed moment for the technology’s mainstream acceptance. What’s particularly striking is the pattern: lawmakers are adopting AI not through top-down mandates but through organic discovery, often influenced by family members. This grassroots adoption path mirrors broader societal trends and suggests AI’s integration into governance may be inevitable regardless of regulatory stance. However, the troubling experiences with hallucinations and argumentative chatbots that lawmakers are encountering firsthand could actually strengthen calls for safety standards and transparency requirements. The political dimension—with Vance praising Grok as “least woke”—also reveals how AI is becoming another front in culture wars, potentially complicating evidence-based policymaking. Most significantly, this hands-on experience transforms abstract AI debates into concrete policy questions about accuracy, reliability, and appropriate use cases in government.
Why This Matters
This story represents a critical turning point in AI policy and adoption at the highest levels of US government. When lawmakers who previously resisted or criticized AI technology begin using it themselves, it signals both the technology’s growing utility and potential shifts in regulatory approaches. The personal adoption by skeptics like Warren and Hawley suggests AI tools have crossed a threshold of practical value that overcomes ideological concerns.
This matters for the AI industry because lawmakers who use these tools will likely craft more informed—though not necessarily more favorable—regulations. Their firsthand experience with issues like AI hallucinations and argumentative chatbots could shape future safety requirements and transparency mandates. The diversity of platform choices, from ChatGPT to Claude to Grok, also reflects the competitive landscape and different value propositions around ethics, accuracy, and political positioning. As these decision-makers become daily AI users, their understanding of both benefits and risks will directly influence billions of dollars in AI investment and the trajectory of American AI leadership globally.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/lawmakers-use-ai-chatgpt-grok-claude-themselves-2025-12