Former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has joined Microsoft and AI start-up Anthropic as a Senior Advisor.
Sunak remains the MP for Richmond and Northallerton and said that the proceeds from both jobs would be “donated in full” to The Richmond Project, the numeracy charity he started with his wife, Akshata Murty.
“Microsoft has driven productivity improvements for decades and Anthropic is one of the most exciting AI frontier labs,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
“I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future. I am excited to help these two companies, as they address the big strategic questions about how to make tech work for our economies, our security and our society.
“We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution: and felt more quickly. In my role as a senior adviser, I want to help these companies ensure that this shift delivers the improvements in all of our lives that it can.”
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He’ll advise Anthropic on strategy, macroeconomic and geopolitical trends. This would be focusing on global strategic matters, not UK policy. Sunak has also been prohibited from initiating contact with UK government officials on behalf of the company.
Anthropic, which was founded by former staff from OpenAI, is behind the large language model, Claude. In 2023 it received investment up to $4bn from Amazon, with Google committing a further $2bn weeks later.
The Office of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, the independent watchdog, which oversees the activities of ex-Government officials assessed the “risks” of him taking up the roles and has now published its conclusions:
“The Committee recognised the risks associated with your access to information are somewhat limited due to the passage of time and political and economic changes. It also considered it likely you will be seen to have privileged insight from your dealings with the tech and AI sector as Prime Minister, albeit some months ago. Consequently, a condition has been imposed to limit your role and reduce the scope for risks under government rules.
“Anthropic has confirmed adherence to the Committee’s advice, including that your role will be appropriately ring fenced and separated from any lobbying activity.”
It continued to say that Sunk cannot lobby for the firm for 2 years from his final day in ministerial office, nor can he draw on any privileged information from his time in government. He is also not able to advise them on bidding for UK contacts.
The role with Microsoft brought similar advice.
Sunak is also a paid advisor to Goldman Sachs.
