Anthropic Taps Former Obama Aide Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar as Global Affairs Chief Amid Regulatory Scrutiny

Artificial intelligence developer Anthropic has named Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar its first chief global affairs officer, a strategic hire aimed at navigating mounting policy challenges and a turbulent relationship with the U.S. government. The appointment, announced Tuesday, places a seasoned government and legal expert at the forefront of the company's efforts to manage global AI regulation.

A Strategic Role Amid Policy Headwinds

Cuéllar will report directly to Anthropic President Daniela Amodei and will be responsible for managing the company's relationships with governments in the U.S. and abroad, a company spokesperson told Reuters. His appointment comes as the San Francisco-based startup contends with significant regulatory pressure from the Trump administration.

Recent government actions have created a complex operating environment for the developer of the Claude AI models. These challenges include a Pentagon blacklisting of its technology, which Anthropic is currently challenging in court, and an export control directive that temporarily banned the sale of its advanced Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models to foreign entities over national security concerns.

A Consensus Builder with Deep Expertise

Anthropic framed the hire as a choice for a consensus builder with extensive government and AI policy experience. Cuéllar, a former California Supreme Court justice, brings a distinguished resume to the role, including:

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• Serving as a special assistant in former President Barack Obama's White House.
• Leading the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace until this past July.
• Co-chairing a task force on U.S. national security, with a focus on risks like nuclear proliferation, an area some experts see as analogous to managing AI risk.
• Co-leading a 2025 study that informed California's SB 53, an AI law protecting whistleblowers that Anthropic endorsed.

Cuéllar is stepping down from his position on Anthropic's Long-Term Benefit Trust to take the new executive role, the company confirmed.

Navigating the Future of AI Governance

In a statement, Cuéllar noted that AI development and governance have reached an "inflection point." He said, "The choices we make today will determine whether humanity can harness extraordinary possibilities to advance science and improve lives across the world or face enormous risk and growing inequality."

Oren Cass, founder of the conservative think tank American Compass, described Cuéllar to Reuters as a pragmatic figure who would be "open-minded" to the administration's positions. Cass stated that Cuéllar's approach would likely foster "good deliberative policymaking with the administration."