public sector
MPs welcome move but still want answers over how the conflict of interest was allowed to arise
Matt Clifford is stepping down as chair of the UK’s taxpayer-funded Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), just days after saying he intended to keep the job while working for AI giant Anthropic.
Clifford, one of the architects of the UK government’s AI strategy, said in a LinkedIn post on Monday that he would leave ARIA, less than a week after his appointment as Anthropic’s managing director of international affairs prompted warnings of a “clear conflict of interest.”
“Having completed my first full term last month, I have decided to step down to ensure my new role at Anthropic doesn’t become a distraction from ARIA’s incredible work,” he said.
The decision reverses the position outlined when Anthropic announced Clifford’s appointment as managing director of international affairs last week. At the time, he intended to remain as ARIA chair, with safeguards put in place to manage potential conflicts between the two roles.
He said the Secretary of State had asked him to remain until November 6 while a new chair is appointed, and that he had agreed to do so “with appropriate safeguards against potential conflicts in place.”
The overlap between the roles had already attracted scrutiny in Parliament.
Dame Chi Onwurah, Labour MP and chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, warned last week that Clifford’s plan to retain the ARIA role while working for Anthropic created a “clear conflict of interest.”
ARIA invests taxpayer money in high-risk scientific and technological research, including AI-related work. At Anthropic, Clifford will lead the company’s engagement with governments outside North America.
Onwurah welcomed Clifford’s decision on Monday but said questions remained about how the original arrangement was approved.
“It’s right that the conflict of interest between the taxpayer funded ARIA and Anthropic has been addressed through Matt Clifford’s decision to step down as ARIA’s Chair,” she said.
“However, important questions remain. Last week, I wrote to the government seeking clarity on how this situation arose, what conflict of interest assessments were undertaken and what safeguards are in place to protect confidence in ARIA’s governance. I expect a detailed response in the upcoming weeks.”
Clifford has become an influential figure in UK AI policy. As well as chairing ARIA, he helped establish the Frontier AI Taskforce, which later became the AI Security Institute, worked on the UK’s 2023 AI Safety Summit, and wrote the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan. ®
