Just one day after unveiling new AI models aimed at U.S. national security applications, AI startup Anthropic has appointed national security expert Richard Fontaine to its long-term benefit trust — a move that signals the company’s growing focus on the intersection of AI and global security.
Anthropic’s long-term benefit trust is an unusual governance structure that the company says prioritizes safety and ethical oversight over pure profit. The trust also holds significant power — including the ability to elect certain members of Anthropic’s board of directors.
Fontaine joins a group of high-profile trustees that already includes Zachary Robinson (CEO, Centre for Effective Altruism), Neil Buddy Shah (CEO, Clinton Health Access Initiative), and Kanika Bahl (President, Evidence Action).
In a statement, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei emphasized the importance of adding national security expertise to the trust at a time when AI is becoming increasingly entwined with defense.
“Richard’s expertise comes at a critical time as advanced AI capabilities increasingly intersect with national security considerations,” Amodei said.
“I’ve long believed that ensuring democratic nations maintain leadership in responsible AI development is essential for both global security and the common good.”
Fontaine will serve in an advisory role — trustees do not hold a financial stake in the company.
A seasoned policy leader, Fontaine was formerly a foreign policy adviser to the late Senator John McCain and taught security studies as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. For over six years, he led the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a prominent Washington, D.C.-based think tank, as its president.
A Shift Toward National Security Work
Anthropic, backed by major partners including Amazon and Google, has recently ramped up its engagement with U.S. national security customers — part of a broader strategy to diversify revenue sources.
Last November, the company joined forces with Palantir and AWS to bring Anthropic’s AI models to defense clients.
But Anthropic isn’t alone in pursuing government contracts. The field of AI for national security is heating up fast:
- OpenAI is seeking to deepen its ties with the U.S. Defense Department.
- Meta has made its Llama models available to defense partners.
- Google is working on a Gemini AI version designed to operate in classified environments.
- Cohere, known for its business-focused AI tools, is collaborating with Palantir to bring its models to defense applications.
Growing Executive Bench
Fontaine’s appointment also reflects Anthropic’s broader push to strengthen its leadership team as competition in the AI space intensifies.
Just last month, the company added Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder, to its board — another high-profile move that signals Anthropic’s ambitions across both commercial and national security markets.
As AI continues to reshape industries and geopolitics alike, Anthropic is clearly positioning itself at the center of the conversation about how these powerful technologies should be governed and deployed.
Also Read : WWDC 2025: What to Expect from Apple’s Big Event This Year
