Anthropic asks job candidates if they would sacrifice stock gains for AI safety

Anthropic has incorporated a question about money and mission into its culture interviews. The company asked some candidates to consider whether they would support an AI-safety decision even if it wiped out the company’s future share value, Axios reported Monday, citing people familiar with the hiring process.

The approach comes as CEO Dario Amodei has questioned whether recent hires are motivated by Anthropic’s mission or by the financial opportunities created by the AI boom.

Anthropic’s culture interviews are conducted by employees using suggested questions rather than a standardized script, according to the report. This flexible approach has led candidates to describe varying hypothetical scenarios in which the company could face major financial consequences for prioritizing AI safety.

The culture interview also asks applicants to discuss a moral dilemma they have encountered. One anonymous Blind writer said they would not welcome a stock price of zero but would want to balance doing the most good and remaining ethical with building a sustainable business. The interviewer, the writer said, appeared unhappy with the answer.

The stock-related question may be relatively new. Two former Anthropic employees said it was not previously part of the interview process, while posts on Blind indicate candidates received the question in 2025. Amodei has separately said Anthropic has conducted culture interviews since the company’s early days.

The company previously refused to provide the US military with unrestricted access to its technology, costing it government contracts, and restricted access to Mythos because of safety concerns.

Amodei is on track to become one of the world’s richest people if the company goes public, although he has pledged to donate 80% of his wealth.