AI giant Anthropic ‘philosopher’ Amanda Askell’s oddball blog posts surface after Trump blasts ‘leftwing nut jobs’

President Trump has labeled Anthropic as “woke” and “radical left” while banning the AI giant from working with the federal government. Recent blog posts from the company’s in-house “philosopher” have raised concerns and provided ammunition for critics.

In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Anthropic, a major player in the AI industry, has been barred from serving any federal agency, including the Department of War. The ban came after a dispute between Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and War Secretary Pete Hegseth over the company’s “red lines” regarding government use of its AI tools.

Amodei, a Democratic donor, has faced criticism for his political views, with past statements expressing negative opinions about Trump. Concerns about Anthropic’s political leanings have been fueled by blog posts from Amanda Askell, the company’s in-house philosopher, whose writings have raised eyebrows within the Trump administration.

Askell’s posts, which touch on topics like vegetarianism, incarceration, and societal fairness, have been seen as reflecting progressive ideologies. However, an Anthropic spokesperson clarified that Askell’s blog posts were academic exercises and not indicative of her personal views.

The company’s ties to Democratic donors and the “Effective Altruism” movement have also come under scrutiny. Elon Musk has criticized Anthropic for allegedly producing AI models with biases, and the company has been accused of trying to push its ideology onto the military.

Overall, Anthropic’s perceived moral authority and political influence have sparked concerns about its role as a government contractor. The company’s stance on issues like AI regulation and societal fairness has drawn criticism from various quarters, with debates about the implications of its ideologies on AI development and regulation.