Reed Hastings, the cofounder and former CEO of streaming giant Netflix, has made a major investment in the artificial intelligence space with the announcement that the longtime corporate chief has signed on to the board of directors of Anthropic, a high-profile AI startup powered by big tech guns like Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
The hiring, by Anthropic’s Long-Term Benefit Trust, reflects the increasing overlap between the old guard of technology leaders and the fast-changing world of A.I.
Hastings, who spent more than 20 years at the helm of Netflix, helping drive its transformation into a dominant global juggernaut in entertainment, has a prodigious skill set built off of the experience of scaling technology businesses, and managing complex market channels.
His knowledge is anticipated to benefit Anthropic as the company focuses on building powerful AI systems in a robust, safe, and ethical manner.
Hastings noted in a statement that he welcomed all that AI could do for humanity, while conceding the economic, societal, and safety issues that arise with it. He stressed that he was excited about Anthropic’s approach to AI and helping the company that is helping humanity.
Anthropic, the company behind advanced AI models like Claude, has entered the inevitable AI race, pitting its models against the likes of OpenAI and Google.
The company’s emphasis on creating “reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems,” has captured a lot of attention in the industry.
Like a lot of people, the addition of Hastings to the board of Anthropic has been characterized by many as a strategic front that will give the AI startup the guidance and credibility it needs to navigate the many challenges the industry presents.
With his background of creating a global technology platform, as well as his philanthropic investment in education, and solving society’s problems, he is an excellent match to Anthropic’s focus on developing beneficial AI for the long term.
This news further demonstrates the growing realization of AI as being a transformative factor across industries and the value of seasoned leaders from other walks of life contributing in shaping its direction. Hasting’s leap is a sign of growing faith in the Anthropic vision and potential to be a pivotal player in the responsible evolution of AI.