Reed Hastings, executive chairman and co-founder of Netflix, has joined the board of directors of fast-growing AI firm Anthropic.
The company, which has been valued at north of $60 billion in recent fundraising, said its Long Term Benefit Trust selected Hastings because it valued his experience. The exec stepped down as Co-CEO of Netflix in 2023 after leading the streaming giant since its DVD-by-mail days and has previously served on the boards of Facebook, Microsoft, and Bloomberg.
The move comes as the business of AI continues to boom, with tech giants collectively pledging to spend trillions of dollars on the technology, even as debates about the ethical guidelines and uses of it continue.
Hastings acknowledged the broader discussion around AI two months ago in making a $50 million gift to Bowdoin College, his alma mater, to establish a research initiative on AI and Humanity. The program examines how AI will transform work, relationships, and education, and develops ethical frameworks for its use. Those areas “align closely with Anthropic’s own research priorities,” the company said in announcing the Hastings appointment.
“The Long Term Benefit Trust appointed Reed because his impressive leadership experience, deep philanthropic work, and commitment to addressing AI’s societal challenges make him uniquely qualified to guide Anthropic at this critical juncture in AI development,” Buddy Shah, Chair of Anthropic’s Long Term Benefit Trust, said in a statement.
“Anthropic is very optimistic about the AI benefits for humanity, but is also very aware of the economic, social, and safety challenges,” Hastings said. “I’m joining Anthropic’s board because I believe in their approach to AI development, and to help humanity progress.”
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