$20.4B
▲ 40% vs 2023
cumulative US federal spending on AI, 2013–2024
20132024
What the chart shows
Cumulative US federal spending on AI-related awards reached $20.4 billion over 2013–2024: $15.9 billion in grants, $3.9 billion in contracts and $0.65 billion in other transaction agreements (OTAs).
Most of it is recent. The cumulative total stood at $3.3 billion at the end of 2020, so about 84% was spent in 2021–2024, mostly through grants. The AI Index counts only money obligated after AI-related activity first appears in an award.
Key numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total, 2013–2024 | $20.44B |
| Grants | $15.88B |
| Contracts | $3.91B |
| OTAs | $0.65B |
| Total, 2013–2020 | $3.28B |
How to read it
- Nominal US dollars: the AI Index does not say the figures are adjusted for inflation.
- Awards are classed as AI-related by keyword search and text models over federal contract and grant records (FPDS and USAspending). OTAs are other transaction agreements, a federal award type outside standard contract rules.
- The AI Index text gives the total as about $20.5B; the data adds up to $20.4B, which we use.
Source: AI Index, 2026, via the AI Index Report 2026 (Stanford HAI), figure 8.5.1: Cumulative public spending on AI in the United States, 2013–24. Chart and text by AI Adoption.
Numbers checked against the published data on 20 October 2026.
Download the data (CSV) · Cite this chart
Numbers checked against the published data on 20 October 2026.
Download the data (CSV) · Cite this chart
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