Anthropic Hires Stanford Economist Chad Jones for AI Research, Despite 1-in-3 Extinction Paper
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jun 25
Anthropic Hires Stanford Economist Chad Jones for AI Research, Despite 1-in-3 Extinction Paper
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jun 25
Summary
Chad Jones said he will join Anthropic on leave from Stanford from June 30, working at the Anthropic Institute on research into AI and the economic future while continuing seminars and talks.
Jones is a prominent Stanford economist focused on technology, growth and increasingly AI, making him a high-profile recruit for Anthropic as it expands research around AI’s long-term economic impact.
A 2023 NBER paper by Jones framed an “AI dilemma” in which a 1% annual existential-risk rate over 40 years implied roughly a 1-in-3 chance of human extinction in exchange for a 55-fold rise in living standards.
That stance lands awkwardly with Anthropic’s self-image as the industry’s ethical conscience, even as co-founder Dario Amodei has long argued that AI’s upside and risks are both widely underestimated.
Does hiring a scholar who accepts extinction risk reveal a shift in Anthropic's 'safety-first' AI mission?
With its AI models suspended over security fears, can Anthropic truly balance profit with planetary safety?
Is humanity's survival an acceptable price for a 55x increase in wealth, as a new Anthropic hire suggests?
From Stanford to Anthropic: Chad Jones and the Economic Imperative for AI Safety
Overview
Stanford economist Chad Jones will join the Anthropic Institute in June 2026, taking a leave from Stanford to focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence and economic growth. His move has already attracted attention, reflecting the importance of his research on AI’s potential for massive economic gains and its existential risks. Jones’s models show that adopting AI could lead to extraordinary growth, but also a significant chance of extinction, highlighting the urgent need to balance progress with safety. At Anthropic, Jones will apply his expertise to help guide responsible AI development and policy.