Anthropic’s CEO Responds to “Too Woke” Criticism

Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has addressed accusations that his AI company is overly progressive, following strong criticism from David Sachs, the White House AI czar.

On Tuesday, Amodei defended Anthropic, asserting that the company aligns with Trump administration policies on several crucial AI issues. He expressed frustration over what he termed “a recent increase in inaccurate claims” about the company’s positions.

“I truly believe that Anthropic and leaders across the political spectrum share the same goal: to ensure that powerful AI technologies benefit the American public, to advance the United States, and to maintain leadership in AI development,” Amodei remarked.

The San Francisco-based firm, recognized for its Claude chatbot, has drawn heightened scrutiny lately, particularly regarding allegations of liberal bias. Its backers include the Ford Foundation, which Vice President J.D. Vance criticized, claiming it is part of a network of NGOs involved in encouraging violence following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Anthropic’s decision to prevent federal contractors from using its technology for certain law enforcement tasks allegedly displeased the Trump administration. Additionally, Amodei is a noted Democratic donor who has criticized Trump and supported Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential race in 2024.

Sachs has been particularly vocal against Anthropic, recently accusing the company of using its warnings about AI risks to manipulate the industry for its own gain.

“Anthropic is crafting a regulatory acquisition strategy rooted in fear-mongering, and is mainly responsible for the regulatory frenzy that is hurting startups,” Sachs declared on October 14.

These remarks prompted a defense from Reid Hoffman, a billionaire Democratic donor and Anthropic investor through Greylock. Hoffman referred to the AI company as “one of the good companies.”

Sachs, not backing down, targeted Hoffman in his response.

“The powerful backers behind the legislation and tactics against President Trump want to paint Anthropic as ‘one of the good guys’ as well,” Sachs wrote. “Thank you for clarifying that. We now have all the information we need.”

Sachs further alleged that Anthropic aims to influence AI regulations indirectly in blue states like California.

Amodei countered these claims, emphasizing that Anthropic has “publicly supported President Trump’s AI action plan” and recently secured a $200 million contract with the Department of the Army.

“We maintain that a uniform federal approach is more effective than a messy array of state laws,” Amodei concluded.