Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has formally announced his appointment as a senior adviser to Anthropic, a leading AI startup. This appointment comes as Sunak continues to pivot from political leadership to influential roles in the tech sector, reflecting the growing overlap between government insight and AI innovation. The move signals Anthropic’s ambition to integrate strategic geopolitical and economic expertise into its mission to build safe, aligned AI systems.
Anthropic, backed by tech giants like Amazon and Google, specializes in developing advanced AI models such as Claude, challenging industry leaders including OpenAI. Sunak’s advisory role will focus on offering strategic guidance, drawing on his deep experience with global macroeconomic and geopolitical issues. This is not a UK-specific policy position. Instead, it positions Sunak as a global strategist helping Anthropic navigate the complexities of AI deployment worldwide.
This role importantly complies with the UK government’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) regulations. Sunak is barred from lobbying UK officials or drawing on privileged government information, ensuring a clear boundary between his former political office and new corporate responsibilities. All earnings from his advisory posts are donated to The Richmond Project, a numeracy improvement charity founded by Sunak and his wife, lending a philanthropic dimension to his new chapter in AI.
Sunak’s advisory position at Anthropic builds on his notable legacy as the UK Prime Minister who prioritized AI policy, notably by convening the UK’s first AI Safety Summit in 2023. His presence in Anthropic’s strategic discussions symbolizes the growing need for political voices in the ethical and economic future of AI development.
Sunak’s new role comes amid intense global scrutiny of AI’s societal impact. Governments, corporations, and civil society alike grapple with how to harness AI’s benefits while managing risks including job displacement, biases, and misinformation. Having a former prime minister with firsthand experience in technology regulation and international diplomacy advising Anthropic could enhance the startup’s ability to act responsibly on issues like AI safety, international cooperation, and regulatory compliance.
However, Sunak’s move also revives questions about post-office roles by politicians in private industry sectors closely tied to government policy. While safeguards are in place, transparency and monitoring will be key to ensuring that this revolving door does not erode public trust or distort policy priorities. Anthropic’s commitment to “ring-fence” Sunak’s involvement from UK policy lobbying highlights awareness of these concerns.
Beyond regulatory and ethical considerations, Sunak’s advisory role exemplifies a broader transformation in leadership where former politicians engage with frontier technologies to shape future economies. His transition reflects the tech sector’s recognition that AI must be developed with geopolitical and macroeconomic realities in mind, incorporating insights often absent from purely technical discussions.
He is also going to be an advisor to Microsoft. Sunak’s partnership with Anthropic signals a strategic alignment for AI’s future. Anthropic’s ongoing global expansion, evidenced by recent hiring drives in Europe and plans for an India office, emphasises the scale and ambition that Sunak will help guide.
“I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future. I am excited to help these two companies, as they address the big strategic questions about how to make technology work for our economies, our security, and our society. We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution and felt more quickly. In my role as a senior adviser, I want to help these companies ensure that this shift delivers improvements in all of our lives that it can,” said Sunak.
