Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to advise Microsoft and Anthropic (techcrunch.com)

Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has taken senior advisory roles at Microsoft and Anthropic, prompting scrutiny from the UK Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba). Letters disclosed by Parliament note concerns that Sunak’s inside knowledge and government contacts—especially given his role in unveiling a £2.5 billion Microsoft investment in UK data centers and training in 2023—could give those firms an “unfair advantage.” Sunak says he will avoid advising on UK policy or lobbying, limit his work to high-level macroeconomic and geopolitical issues, and donate his advisory fees to the Richmond Project charity. For the AI/ML community this matters because it highlights how ex-government officials can shape the regulatory and commercial landscape for leading AI companies. Microsoft and Anthropic are central players in model development, cloud infrastructure, and government procurement; perceived privileged access could affect competition, regulatory outcomes, and public trust in AI governance. Acoba’s warning and Sunak’s safeguards underscore ongoing concerns about the revolving door between politics and tech—mirrored in other appointments like Liam Booth-Smith’s role at Anthropic and past moves by senior politicians to Silicon Valley firms—which may influence how AI safety, oversight, and procurement policies evolve.