Matt Clifford, who played a central role in shaping the UK government’s artificial intelligence strategy, has taken a senior position at Anthropic, a US-based AI startup known for developing the Claude chatbot. Clifford’s appointment as managing director for international affairs at Anthropic comes a year after he stepped down from his unpaid advisory role on AI opportunities under Labour leader Keir Starmer, which he resigned from six months after being appointed, citing personal reasons.
Clifford will be responsible for leading Anthropic’s engagement with governments outside the United States, including in the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and India. Despite this new commercial role, he will retain his position as chair of the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), a government-backed body that funds high-risk, high-reward science and technology projects, many related to AI. He will also continue as chair of Entrepreneurs First, a technology venture capital firm he co-founded.
His decision to hold both roles has sparked concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Chi Onwurah, chair of the House of Commons science, innovation and technology committee, described Clifford’s continued chairmanship at Aria, an organisation that allocates taxpayer funding for cutting-edge research, as a “clear conflict of interest.” Onwurah has called on the UK’s AI minister, Kanishka Narayan, to establish strong safeguards to ensure Aria’s independence amid Clifford’s involvement with Anthropic.
Both Anthropic and Aria have stated that Clifford will recuse himself from any matters involving the company at Aria. Anthropic emphasized that any commercial dealings with Aria are managed by a separate team, and Clifford does not take part in procurement or programme-level spending decisions. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, which appoints Aria’s chair, has formally reviewed and approved Clifford’s continued role.
Clifford’s technology career includes co-founding Entrepreneurs First, which has supported the creation of tech companies valued collectively at more than $20 billion. He was instrumental in drafting the UK government’s AI action plan and served as a representative for Rishi Sunak’s government at the 2023 AI Safety Summit. He has also contributed to the formation of what became the AI Security Institute, a leading organisation in AI safety.
Anthropic, preparing for a potential stock market flotation that could value the company at approximately $2 trillion, acknowledged that Clifford’s remit is global and involves engagement with numerous governments beyond the UK. A company spokesperson stated that hiring individuals with expertise in government processes is necessary for their work across multiple markets.
The move has drawn attention amid broader concerns about the so-called "revolving door" between government and the tech sector. Critics argue that transitions such as Clifford’s risk granting private companies undue advantage by leveraging insider knowledge gained from public service. Some, including campaigners for greater transparency and independent political oversight, have called for more rigorous regulations to manage these relationships. Supporters counter that collaboration between governments and industry is essential to develop AI governance frameworks effectively. The UK government has been contacted for comment but has not issued a statement.