Anthropic, one of the leading artificial intelligence companies behind the Claude chatbot, has appointed Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings to its board of directors, the company announced Wednesday.
Hastings, 64, was selected by Anthropic's Long Term Benefit Trust, an independent body with the authority to appoint and remove board members. The Trust cited Hastings' "impressive leadership experience, deep philanthropic work, and commitment to addressing AI's societal challenges" as key qualifications for guiding Anthropic at this critical stage in AI development.
"Anthropic is very optimistic about the AI benefits for humanity, but is also very aware of the economic, social, and safety challenges," Hastings said in a statement. "I'm joining Anthropic's board because I believe in their approach to AI development, and to help humanity progress."
The appointment adds significant technology industry experience to Anthropic, which was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives including siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei. Hastings co-founded Netflix in 1997 and transformed it from a DVD mail-order service into a global streaming powerhouse during his 25-year tenure as CEO before stepping down in 2023.
Hastings joins Anthropic at a time of rapid growth for the company, which closed a Series E funding round in March 2025 at a post-money valuation of $61.5 billion. The company has received significant backing from tech giants, including $8 billion from Amazon and $2 billion from Google, as it competes with OpenAI and other players in the generative AI market.
Hastings' appointment aligns with his recent focus on AI's societal impact. Earlier this year, he donated $50 million to Bowdoin College to establish the Hastings Initiative for AI and Humanity, a research program examining how AI will transform work, education, and relationships while developing ethical frameworks for its use.
With Hastings' addition, Anthropic's board now includes co-founders Dario and Daniela Amodei, investor Yasmin Razavi, and Confluent CEO Jay Kreps.