Anthropic announced Tuesday that it has appointed former California Supreme Court justice Mariano-Florentino "Tino" Cuellar as its inaugural chief global affairs officer. The veteran policy maker will report directly to Anthropic president Daniela Amodei and operate out of the company’s San Francisco headquarters.
Cuellar’s mandate is clear: repair and steer the company’s relationship with the U.S. government at a time when that partnership is under intense scrutiny. In March, the Pentagon placed Anthropic on a supply‑chain risk list after the firm refused to allow its Claude models to be used for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance of Americans. Anthropic responded with a lawsuit that remains pending in court. More recently, the Trump administration imposed export controls on Anthropic’s most advanced models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national‑security concerns. The restrictions were lifted after roughly three weeks once the company agreed to a set of security commitments, but the episode underscored the volatility of the firm’s standing in Washington.
Cuellar, who goes by Tino, brings a rare blend of legal, diplomatic, and security experience to the role. He served as a special assistant to President Barack Obama, focusing on regulatory policy and public safety, and later led the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace until July. At Carnegie, he co‑chaired a bipartisan task force on nuclear proliferation and U.S. national security – a framework some AI leaders have cited as a model for governing emerging technologies.
His work on a 2025 study that helped shape California’s SB 53, the nation’s first law specifically targeting AI safety, further cements his credentials. SB 53 protects AI whistleblowers, mandates safety‑standard reporting for high‑revenue developers, and imposes fines of up to one million dollars per violation. Anthropic publicly endorsed the legislation, aligning its own safety commitments with the new legal requirements.
Cuellar has been a member of Anthropic’s Long‑Term Benefit Trust since January, an independent body tasked with holding the company to its public‑benefit mission. He will step down from that position to assume his new duties, and the trust is now seeking a replacement for the departing member.
Industry observers see the hire as a strategic effort to temper the growing friction with federal authorities. Oren Cass, founder of the conservative think tank American Compass and a longtime friend of Cuellar, told Reuters that the new chief global affairs officer would be “open‑minded” toward the Trump administration’s positions and eager to uncover the root of any disagreement.
In a statement, Cuellar warned that policymakers have reached an “inflection point” on AI governance. He said the choices made today will determine whether humanity harnesses extraordinary possibilities or faces “enormous risk.” The sentiment reflects a broader industry consensus that effective regulation is essential for the responsible rollout of powerful AI systems.
Anthropic’s leadership appears confident that Cuellar’s blend of judicial insight, diplomatic experience, and security expertise will help the company navigate the current policy maelstrom. The firm continues to expand globally, and its new chief global affairs officer will also be tasked with managing relationships in the growing number of countries where Anthropic is establishing a presence.
Cet article a été rédigé avec l'assistance de l'IA.
News Factory APP - actualités agentiques pour booster votre SEO et AEO.