Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has taken on senior advisory roles with US technology companies Microsoft and Anthropic, according to letters published by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba). The roles add to his existing position as a senior adviser to Goldman Sachs International and his work as a speechmaker for investment firms, which has earned him over £150,000 per talk.
Sunak, who was prime minister from October 2022 to July 2024, will provide high-level strategic perspectives on macroeconomic and geopolitical trends. He has stated that the roles will not involve lobbying or advising on UK policy matters. His salary from both jobs will be donated to the Richmond Project, a charity he founded with his wife, Akshata Murty, which aims to boost social mobility through numeracy.
Acoba approved the appointments with conditions to prevent conflicts of interest, noting concerns about Sunak's access to information that could grant Microsoft an unfair advantage. The committee also highlighted risks associated with his appointment at a time of intense debate on AI regulation. However, Sunak assured the committee that the roles are internally focused and will not involve lobbying.
Anthropic, a $180bn AI startup based in San Francisco, develops the Claude AI tools and is a frontrunner in the race to artificial general intelligence. A spokesperson for Anthropic welcomed Sunak, citing his recognition of AI's transformative potential and his establishment of the world's first AI Safety Institute during his tenure as prime minister.
