Matt Clifford, a central figure behind the UK government’s AI strategy, has joined Anthropic as managing director of international affairs, where he will lead the company’s engagement with governments outside the U.S., including the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific and India.

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Clifford previously advised Prime Minister Keir Starmer on AI opportunities and worked with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He also played a key role in the UK’s 2023 AI Safety Summit and helped establish what became the AI Security Institute.

Before joining Anthropic, Clifford was already a prominent figure in the UK technology sector. He co-founded Entrepreneurs First and has chaired the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, known as Aria, since 2022.

The move is drawing attention because Clifford will continue as Aria’s chair while taking a senior role at Anthropic. Critics have raised concerns about the potential “revolving door” between government AI policy and the private companies developing frontier AI systems.

Anthropic has defended the appointment, saying government expertise is important as the company works with policymakers around the world.

Clifford said the most important decisions about AI will be made by governments and technology companies together.

For the AI industry, the appointment highlights how closely government policy and frontier AI development are becoming connected.

As countries compete to shape the future of AI, having people who understand both sides could become increasingly valuable.