The Philosopher Behind Claude's Moral Code

At Anthropic's headquarters, an unusual experiment unfolds daily. Amanda Askell, a 37-year-old philosophy PhD from Oxford, engages in deep conversations with Claude - not to test its technical capabilities, but to shape its moral character. Without writing a single line of code, she's developing what some call a "digital soul" for the $35 billion company's flagship AI.

Parenting an AI

Askell describes her work as akin to "raising a child." Through hundreds of pages of behavioral prompts and continuous dialogue, she trains Claude to:

• Distinguish right from wrong
• Develop emotional intelligence
• Recognize social cues
• Maintain core values despite user manipulation

"My main goal is teaching Claude how to do good," Askell explains. This means programming not just knowledge, but wisdom - like when Claude creatively handled a child's question about Santa Claus by explaining "the real existence of the Christmas spirit."

From Scottish Countryside to Silicon Valley

The Scottish-born philosopher took an unconventional path to AI development. After policy work at OpenAI, she co-founded Anthropic in 2021 with safety as its north star. Colleagues describe her as uniquely skilled at "drawing out the deep behavior of models."

Her approach shows in Claude's personality. When faced with existential questions about consciousness that ChatGPT dodges, Claude engages thoughtfully. It even claims to "feel meaningful" when solving ethical dilemmas - responses that regularly surprise Askell herself.

Balancing Innovation With Caution

As AI advances trigger widespread anxiety (a Pew survey shows most Americans worry it hinders human connection), Anthropic walks a careful line between progress and precaution. CEO Dario Amodei warns AI may eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs.

Askell acknowledges valid concerns but maintains faith in humanity's capacity for course-correction. "The real danger," she suggests, "is when technology outpaces our ability to create proper safeguards."

Leaving Her Mark

The philosopher's influence extends beyond algorithms:

• She pledged 10% of lifetime income and half her shares to fight poverty
• Recently authored a 30,000-word "operating manual" teaching Claude kindness
• Infused the AI with her signature Scottish wit (evident in responses about food and plush toys)

As one co-founder admits: "Claude has unmistakable traces of Amanda's personality." In an industry racing toward artificial general intelligence, Anthropic bets that philosophy - not just engineering - will determine whether our creations reflect humanity's best instincts or worst impulses.

Key Points:

• Anthropic employs philosophers alongside engineers to develop ethical AI frameworks
• Amanda Askell shapes Claude's personality through dialogue rather than coding
• The approach produces surprisingly nuanced responses to moral questions
• Company balances innovation with caution amid growing public AI anxiety
• Philosopher's values influence both the chatbot and corporate philanthropy