Bernanke Joins Anthropic AI Trust

Dr. Ben Bernanke, former Chair of the Federal Reserve and Nobel laureate, has been appointed to Anthropic's Long-Term Benefit Trust (LTBT). Announced on July 9, 2026, his addition reinforces the independent body's role in guiding Anthropic's commitment to the responsible development of advanced AI for humanity's long-term benefit, according to Anthropic News.

Bernanke, a Distinguished Fellow at the Brookings Institution, led the Federal Reserve through the 2008 global financial crisis. His academic work on financial crises and the Great Depression, primarily at Princeton, earned him the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2022.

“The potential of artificial intelligence is enormous, and so is the range of outcomes. How that potential plays out will depend, in part, on the institutions we build around it,” Bernanke stated. He emphasized Anthropic's unique governance structure designed to ensure AI benefits outweigh risks.

Daniela Amodei, Co-Founder and President of Anthropic, highlighted Bernanke's relevant experience. “Ben's career has run from studying how economies react to disruptive moments to helping steer the world's largest economy through one such time,” Amodei noted, anticipating his judgment will enhance Anthropic's understanding of AI's effects on workforces and economies.

As a Public Benefit Corporation, Anthropic balances commercial success with social good. The LTBT serves as an essential check, ensuring the company maintains this balance in its AI development and deployment.

Trustees, chosen for broad expertise, operate independently of Anthropic's management and investors. They hold no equity and are compensated only for their service.

Neil Buddy Shah, Chair of the LTBT, underscored Bernanke's leadership qualities. “Ben spent eight years leading the Federal Reserve and guided the country through the worst financial crisis in nearly a century with expertise, independence, and sound judgment,” Shah said, noting this standard is crucial for Trustees as AI's impact expands.

The LTBT can appoint members to Anthropic's board and advises leadership on critical decisions, particularly those concerning AI's potential risks and societal impacts. Bernanke's appointment specifically bolsters the trust's economic expertise, a key area of Anthropic's research.

He joins Neil Buddy Shah, Richard Fontaine, and Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar on the LTBT, adding to their collective experience spanning global health, national security, law, policy, and economics.