⚖️ Trump pushed pro-AI rhetoric

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Anthropic Pushes Back Against “Fear-Mongering” Claims

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei released a statement Tuesday to “set the record straight” after a wave of criticism from Trump administration officials and prominent figures in the AI industry. The backlash began when co-founder Jack Clark voiced concerns about AI’s unpredictability, prompting Trump’s AI czar David Sacks and others to accuse Anthropic of “regulatory capture” and stoking fear to slow innovation. In response, Amodei reaffirmed Anthropic’s principle that AI should be “a force for human progress, not peril,” highlighting the company’s cooperation with the federal government, including its $200 million Department of Defense contract and public support for Trump’s AI Action Plan.

The Collision of AI Policy and Politics

Amodei’s statement underscores the growing tension between Silicon Valley’s anti-regulation wing and those advocating for measured oversight. Anthropic’s support for California’s SB 53, a bill requiring transparency around frontier model safety, placed it at odds with industry giants like OpenAI and investors who view state-level regulation as an obstacle to U.S. competitiveness. Yet Amodei’s approach reflects a nuanced strategy: aligning with Trump’s broader pro-AI agenda while insisting that safety and competition can coexist. By opposing an outright ban on state regulation and limiting sales to China-linked entities, Anthropic is betting that responsible restraint can ultimately strengthen America’s technological leadership.

Building Trust Amid Shifting Rules

For founders, this episode highlights how deeply political AI regulation has become and why startups should tread carefully. The takeaway isn’t to pick sides, but to understand that credibility in AI now depends as much on values as it does on velocity. Startups developing AI products can learn from Anthropic’s balancing act: embrace transparency early, document risk management decisions, and communicate them clearly to users, investors, and regulators. As the rules evolve, founders who show responsibility without waiting for enforcement will be better positioned to earn trust, avoid scrutiny, and attract long-term partners who see safety as a strength, not a slowdown.

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