Anthropic emerges as an adversary to Trump’s big bill

Anthropic is going toe-to-toe with the Trump Administration on artificial intelligence policy, according to a person familiar with the matter, irking White House officials and bucking the trend of AI companies seeking closer ties with the government.

The $60 billion Silicon Valley company responsible for some of the world’s most advanced AI models has been lobbying members of Congress to vote against a federal bill that would preempt states from regulating AI, according to two people familiar with the matter. The bill is a key component of the Trump administration’s efforts to clear the way for US companies to advance the technology.

One of Anthropic’s advisors also pushed against the recent AI deal with Gulf states that would see US technology flow to the region in exchange for an influx of investment money flowing the other direction.

The efforts have angered staffers within the Trump administration working on AI policy who have come to see Anthropic as an obstacle. At a recent meeting at the White House, according to one person familiar with the matter, officials lamented Anthropic’s efforts and called out the company’s hiring of several former Biden Administration staffers, including Elizabeth Kelly and Tarun Chhabra. Ben Buchanan, another Biden official, is an adviser.

Anthropic also employs policy staff who worked for Republicans, like legislative analyst Benjamin Merkel and lobbyist Mary Croghan.

Anthropic declined to comment.

The staffers were also annoyed by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s recent prediction that AI would wipe out half of entry-level, white collar jobs in the next one to five years.

Anthropic’s strategy bucks the overall trend in the tech industry, where most CEOs have taken steps to gain favor with the new administration, attempting to influence it from within, rather than fight its policies.