Anthropic Appoints National Security Expert to Governing Trust

In a strategic move, Anthropic has appointed Richard Fontaine, a national security expert, to its long-term benefit trust. This announcement follows the unveiling of new AI models tailored for U.S. national security applications.

The long-term benefit trust at Anthropic serves as a governance mechanism that prioritizes safety over profit. It holds the authority to elect members of the company's board of directors. Other notable members include Zachary Robinson from the Centre for Effective Altruism, Neil Buddy Shah from Clinton Health Access Initiative, and Kanika Bahl from Evidence Action.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, expressed confidence in Fontaine's ability to enhance the trust's decision-making capabilities regarding AI and security issues. "Richard’s expertise is crucial as advanced AI increasingly intersects with national security," Amodei stated.

Fontaine brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as a foreign policy adviser to Senator John McCain and president of the Center for A New American Security in Washington D.C. He also taught security studies at Georgetown University.

This appointment aligns with Anthropic's growing engagement with U.S. national security sectors as it seeks new revenue streams. Last November, Anthropic partnered with Palantir and AWS to market its AI solutions to defense clients.

Anthropic is not alone in pursuing defense contracts; OpenAI is also seeking closer ties with the U.S. Defense Department, while Meta has made its Llama models available for national security purposes.

Recent Developments

• In May, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings joined Anthropic’s board.