Reed Hastings Joins Anthropic's Board: Is He Ready For It?

A Seat at the Table: Hastings Takes the Stage

Okay so the news is out: Reed Hastings the mastermind behind Netflix (you know the reason why we all binge watch instead of like actually going outside) is joining the board of Anthropic. Anthropic for those of you who aren't totally fluent in tech speak is this super cool AI startup. Apparently the 'Long Term Benefit Trust' decided he was worthy. I mean who wouldn't want the guy who brought us 'Stranger Things' helping shape the future of artificial intelligence? It's giving 'Mastermind,' isn't it?

From Streaming to Scheming: A New Kind of Drama

Hastings isn't exactly a newbie to the boardroom. He's been hanging out with the big wigs at Microsoft Bloomberg and even *Facebook* (now Meta). It seems like he's been collecting power ups like they're friendship bracelets at the Eras Tour. Now Anthropic is all about making sure AI is a force for good not some dystopian nightmare. Hastings said he believes in their 'approach to AI development and to help humanity progress.' Sounds promising but will his vision of 'progress' align with what the world actually needs? Time will tell I guess. I am sure it will be a love story though.

Giving Back (Like a Charitable Pop Star)

Here's where it gets interesting. Hastings recently dropped $50 million on his alma mater Bowdoin College to kickstart an AI research initiative. They're gonna be exploring the ethical side of AI and how it'll mess with… I mean *influence*… education work and relationships. Anthropic is like 'OMG that's totally our vibe!' It's like when you accidentally wear the same outfit as your bestie but instead of a 'who wore it better?' situation it's a 'let's save the world together!' moment.

Speaking of the World: Daniella Amodei Sounds off

Daniela Amodei the President of Anthropic sounds as though she is ready for the storm noting how Hastings' dedication to the human impact of technology makes him an ideal addition to the company. She thinks that he will help in their quest to build AI that helps rather than harms. It's a nice sentiment a beautiful dream but is it realistic? And is the world ready for the AI that will come of it let alone the media scrutiny?

The AI Arms Race: Anthropic Vs. The World

Speaking of scrutiny Anthropic is trying to play catch up with the likes of OpenAI Google and Microsoft. It's basically an AI arms race except instead of bombs they're building algorithms. Anthropic wants to win but they also want to be the 'good guys.' Can they have their cake and eat it too? (Spoiler alert: I'm really hoping they can because the alternative is… well let's just say it involves robots taking over the world which would seriously cramp my style). I am hoping they will 'Shake It Off'!

So What Happens Now?

Only time will tell. But I for one am cautiously optimistic. Will Hastings bring the 'Red' (chaos) or the 'Lavender Haze' (peaceful progress) to Anthropic? I think in the end Hastings' involvement is a sign that even the tech world is starting to realize that AI needs a serious dose of ethical consideration. Let's hope they 'Begin Again,' but this time with the planet in mind rather than just profits.