Anthropic CEO disputes Trump AI czar David Sacks' claims that company is 'woke'

Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, spoke out on Tuesday to clarify what he calls "misleading assertions" regarding the AI startup’s stance on key policy issues. This response came after venture capitalist David Sacks, who served as AI czar under former President Trump, criticized the company’s approach. Amodei emphasized that Anthropic is aligned with the Trump administration on important AI policy matters and is open to collaborating with anyone genuinely interested in advancing the technology responsibly. He stated, "I firmly believe that Anthropic, the administration, and leaders across the political spectrum share the same goal: ensuring that powerful AI technologies benefit the American people while maintaining the nation's leadership in AI development." Founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives, Anthropic has quickly risen to prominence in the AI sector, boasting a valuation of $183 billion within just four years. The company recently drew Sacks' attention following an essay written by Jack Clark, a co-founder and the current head of policy, which ignited a discussion about regulatory measures in the field. Sacks criticized the essay and alleged that Anthropic was engaging in a "sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering," claiming it was responsible for the current wave of state regulations that are detrimental to the startup ecosystem. In contrast, billionaire tech investor Reid Hoffman came to Anthropic's defense, describing the startup as "one of the good guys" in the industry. Amodei's remarks on Tuesday seemed aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict. He noted, "When we agree, we say so. When we don’t, we propose alternatives for consideration. This is because we are a public benefit corporation committed to ensuring that AI serves everyone and to upholding America’s leadership in AI." He reiterated his belief that both sides of Congress, the public, and the Trump administration share similar objectives regarding AI advancements.