Why did Microsoft and Anthropic Bring Rishi Sunak Onboard?

There’s all kinds of articles, whitepapers and services out there suggesting the best ways to source talent or boost teams. 

But here’s a suggestion that’s being tested: bring in former government leaders and MPs.

At least, that’s what Microsoft and Anthropic have done, providing paid advisory positions to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Both firms have confirmed his appointments as they expand internal policy and strategy teams focused on AI and global regulation. 

Sunak remains MP for Richmond and Northallerton following his departure as UK prime minister in July 2024, a position he has held since 2015.

Strategic appointments with regulatory conditions

Both advisory roles are subject to conditions set by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which oversees post-government employment to avoid potential conflicts of interest. 

Acoba prohibits Sunak from lobbying UK ministers on behalf of either company for a two-year period. 

The committee also bars former ministers from advising on any live or future UK government contract bids during that time.

At Microsoft, Sunak is expected to provide what Acoba describes as “high-level strategic perspectives” on geopolitical trends. 

This remit aligns with Microsoft’s interests in areas such as international regulation and AI policy. Acoba flags the company's “substantial investments in the UK”, raising concerns about potential access and influence within government circles. 

Anthropic, which is backed by investors including Google and led by former OpenAI executives, focuses on developing what it defines as “safe” AI systems.

Sunak has described his position at the business as “akin to operating as an internal think tank”. 

The watchdog has highlighted that the firm has a “significant interest in UK government policy,” prompting concerns that the appointment could be perceived as offering “unfair access and influence” within government. 

Acoba acknowledges that time elapsed since Sunak’s departure from office limits the influence of any confidential knowledge he may still hold. 

Nonetheless, standard restrictions remain in place regarding his interaction with current ministers and civil servants in any official capacity related to the companies.

Linking AI strategy with past government focus

During his premiership, Sunak placed emphasis on technology governance. 

In 2023, he convened an AI safety summit attended by multiple governments and technology firms, focusing on managing the risks posed by advanced AI systems. 

This initiative shaped early global discussions on the responsible development of AI and underlined the UK’s role in emerging tech regulation.

Both advisory appointments reflect Sunak’s ongoing interest in technology. 

His prior experience in finance, including a role at Goldman Sachs from 2001 to 2004, also continues as has taken a separate advisory position with the firm. 

Sunak has confirmed he will donate earnings from all three roles to The Richmond Project, a charity he co-founded with his wife Akshata Murty. 

The charity focuses on improving numeracy education in the UK, which echoes education and skills policies he championed while in office.

Location, leadership and long-term engagement

The appointments follow speculation about Sunak’s next steps following the 2024 general election.

Some commentators suggested he may relocate to California, where he and Murty maintain an apartment, and where much of the AI industry is headquartered. 

His new roles at Microsoft and Anthropic, both with strong US bases, reinforce these transatlantic connections.

However, Sunak continues to serve as a sitting MP, indicating a commitment to remain active in British public life for the present. 

His involvement in global technology issues may bridge UK policy and international tech leadership in the period ahead.

“I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future,” he says.

“We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution: and felt more quickly.”