Matt Clifford Joins Anthropic as International Affairs Director

Matt Clifford, the former AI opportunities adviser to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and architect of the UK government's AI strategy, has joined the US-based AI startup Anthropic as managing director of international affairs. In this capacity, Clifford will lead the company's engagement with governments in India, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Clifford will maintain his existing roles as chair of the tech venture capital firm Entrepreneurs First and the government-backed Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria). The appointment comes as Anthropic prepares for a stock exchange flotation that could value the company at $2 trillion.

The move has drawn criticism from politicians and campaign groups, including Unlock Democracy, who cited concerns over a revolving door between the public and private sectors. Critics argue that Clifford's sensitive policy knowledge could grant Anthropic an unfair advantage, while some government officials have defended the transition as standard practice.