Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has been appointed as a senior adviser by US technology companies Microsoft and Anthropic, according to letters published by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba). The roles add to his existing advisory position with Goldman Sachs International and his paid speechmaking engagements with investment firms.
Sunak, who was prime minister from October 2022 to July 2024, will provide “high-level strategic perspectives on macro-economic and geopolitical trends” for Microsoft, and a similar internally-focused role at Anthropic. He has agreed not to lobby the UK government or advise on UK policy matters, and will donate his salaries from both positions to the Richmond Project charity, which he co-founded with his wife.
Acoba approved the appointments with conditions to prevent conflicts of interest, noting that Sunak’s access to information as a former PM could grant Microsoft an unfair advantage. The watchdog also highlighted that AI was a significant priority during Sunak’s tenure, including legislation affecting the sector, but confirmed no decisions were taken specifically for Anthropic.
Anthropic, a $180bn AI startup behind Claude AI tools, welcomed Sunak, stating he was “among the first global leaders to recognise AI’s transformative potential”. The firm’s CEO has previously predicted that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years.
