Architect of British government’s AI strategy joins Anthropic
Matt Clifford, who drafted AI action plan and advised Starmer and Sunak, hired for senior role at US firm The architect of the UK government’s AI strategy has joined the US startup Anthropic in a senior role a year after stepping down from his Downing Street post. Matt Clifford, a successful tech investor, was appointed as AI opportunities adviser by Keir Starmer last year but resigned from the…
Matt Clifford, a key architect of the UK government's AI strategy, has joined the US startup Anthropic in a senior role, just a year after stepping down from his unpaid position in Downing Street. This move comes as Anthropic prepares for a potential $2tn valuation through a stock exchange listing. Clifford, a successful tech investor, was first appointed as the AI Opportunities Adviser by Keir Starmer last year, but resigned six months later due to personal reasons.
He is now transitioning to Anthropic as the Managing Director of International Affairs, where he will focus on government engagement across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and India. Additionally, Clifford will maintain his chair roles at Aria, the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency, and Entrepreneurs First, a tech venture capital firm he co-founded.
This transition has raised concerns about the "revolving door" between government and industry, particularly for former government advisers who move swiftly to senior positions in the private sector. Critics argue that this shift could provide companies like Anthropic with an unfair advantage by leveraging extensive government knowledge.
Proponents, however, believe Clifford's move could bolster responsible AI discourse and development in Anthropic, given his deep understanding of governmental processes.
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