Anthropic CEO calls AI backlash a 'crisis of trust'

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has pushed back against criticism that his public statements about the dangers of artificial intelligence have contributed to a growing backlash in the United States, particularly against data centers.

The response follows comments from investor Gavin Baker, who argued on the All-In podcast and on X that Amodei's warnings have helped stoke skepticism about AI and have made him a negative advocate for the industry. Baker also noted that Amodei has "lost the argument" on AI regulation, pointing to Anthropic's support for a California bill that would impose transparency requirements on large AI companies.

Amodei acknowledged that the public holds a negative view of AI and called this "a big problem," but he disagreed with the suggestion that his messaging has been disproportionately negative or that AI leaders' warnings are primarily responsible for the backlash.

Instead, Amodei said the issue is "fundamentally a crisis of trust." His remarks come as governments and communities increasingly question the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and its broader societal impact.