Anthropic gains a senior UK AI strategist, Matt Clifford, who will run the company’s engagement with governments outside the US, including the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific and India.
Clifford joins the US startup as managing director, international affairs, a year after leaving his Downing Street role. He helped draft the UK government’s AI action plan, advised both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, and worked with Sunak’s team as the UK representative at the 2023 AI Safety Summit. Before government work Clifford co-founded Entrepreneurs First and chaired the government-backed Advanced Research and Invention Agency, Aria.
Anthropic said Clifford’s remit will cover dozens of national governments. The company is preparing for a stock market flotation that could value the business at $2tn (£1.5tn), a scale that underlines the commercial stakes of closer ties between tech firms and policy makers.
Clifford will remain chair of Aria and of Entrepreneurs First, though it is understood he will step back from any Aria matters involving Anthropic. Clifford described his objective as making Anthropic a constructive partner for countries seeking influence over how AI is developed and used.
Campaign groups and some politicians immediately flagged concerns about the movement between government and industry. Tom Brake, chief executive of Unlock Democracy, said, "the revolving door is a problem for advisers as much as it is for ministers." Beeban Kidron, a crossbench peer, called for politics that places workers and citizens at the centre of relationships with the tech sector. Chi Onwurah, Labour chair of the science, innovation and technology committee, praised Clifford’s domestic contributions but said it was "a matter of some concern" that he was taking his government knowledge to a global AI company so soon. She added she hopes he will use his experience to promote responsible AI at Anthropic rather than "promoting irresponsible AI to the UK government."
The appointment tightens a familiar path from British government circles to Silicon Valley, a trajectory marked by previous moves into major tech firms. For now Clifford will split leadership responsibilities between Anthropic and his UK roles, while critics say the hire will sharpen scrutiny of conflicts of interest and the revolving door between policy and commercial AI interests.
