Anthropic employees: I believe many of you actually do think your work is for the betterment of humanity. That’s great! If you truly do believe that, it’s time to start demanding your leadership lobby for real, structural solutions to unemployment that leave everyday people with a say in how companies like yours operate. “The market will find new jobs” is not as strong of a historical pattern as “the concentration of power harms the people without it.” It’s true that AI might not in fact automate the majority of labor in the near term. But if it does (and working at Anthropic implies you likely think it could), then work towards a version of that future that’s actually palatable. It would be easy to let your comp upside soften your objective evaluations. Don’t. Think you’re working for a better future? Put your money where your mouth is, and ask your leaders to do the same.
I don't think it's productive to single out a specific company that's in this area. If they closed someone else would do it. If they don't execute well someone else will. It's the same mentality as people who smashed up looms to keep people employed at spinning wheels.
I’m not saying they should stop building things (I doubt any argument in that direction would land anyway). But more that they should follow through on the whole picture of the future they’re working on. Anthropic’s brand leans a lot more on trying to be the good guys than other big labs, which is why I think they’re worth addressing in particular.
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Betterment of humanity and betterment of the economy are not the same thing. Our existing economic structures leave much to be desired.