Anthropic CEO Defends Safety Policies Against Trump Administration Accusations

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei issued a statement on Tuesday to rebut accusations from Trump administration officials and AI industry leaders who claim the company uses fear-mongering to stoke regulatory frenzy and damage the startup ecosystem. The conflict intensified after AI czar David Sacks accused the company of pursuing a regulatory capture strategy following comments by co-founder Jack Clark regarding the unpredictable nature of artificial intelligence.

Amodei defended the company's commitment to AI safety and its support for California's SB 53, arguing that the company's policies protect startups through revenue-based exemptions. To demonstrate alignment with the administration, he highlighted a $200 million agreement with the Department of Defense and the company's support for the Trump AI Action Plan.

Amodei further criticized the practice of supplying AI chips to China, noting that the company restricts sales to China-controlled entities despite the resulting impact on revenue. These defenses follow claims from Groq COO Sunny Madra that Anthropic's advocacy for safety measures has caused chaos for the industry.