Anthropic's Long-Term Benefit Trust has welcomed Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar as its newest member. The Trust functions as an independent entity that supports Anthropic in fulfilling its public benefit objectives.
Cuéllar contributes deep expertise across legal, governance, and global affairs domains. His distinguished career includes serving as a California Supreme Court Justice, directing Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and currently leading the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He will depart Carnegie in July 2026 to resume leadership positions at Stanford, heading both the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences and the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program.
His government service spans three presidential administrations, and he currently leads the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation board. Growing up near the U.S.-Mexico border has informed his international outlook, which he has applied throughout his work on immigration, criminal justice, public health, and regulatory issues. He has focused extensively on technology's influence on democratic institutions and public governance, including co-chairing California's AI Frontier Models Working Group with Fei-Fei Li and participating in the National Academy of Sciences Committee examining computing research's societal implications.
Neil Buddy Shah, who chairs the Long-Term Benefit Trust, emphasized the importance of Cuéllar's appointment given AI's growing role in global competition and its effects on economic systems, national security, and international power dynamics. He noted that Cuéllar's expertise will prove essential as Anthropic manages an environment where governments and institutions are rapidly integrating AI technologies.
As a Public Benefit Corporation, Anthropic aims to facilitate a secure transition through transformative AI development. The Long-Term Benefit Trust supports this goal by appointing Anthropic's Board Directors and providing guidance to leadership about maximizing AI benefits while reducing potential harms. Current Trustees select new members after consulting with Anthropic, and Trustees maintain no financial interests in the company. The Trust's membership acknowledges that transformative AI extends beyond technology and business concerns to encompass global health, international security, and broader societal impacts.
Cuéllar expressed that the accelerating advancement of AI capabilities creates an urgent requirement for governance frameworks that combine private sector innovation with civic accountability. He praised Anthropic's leadership for their comprehensive consideration of societal consequences, including effects on global security, democratic systems, and human wellbeing. He views the Long-Term Benefit Trust as a well-designed mechanism for keeping powerful AI system development aligned with public interests.
The Trust also revealed that Kanika Bahl and Zachary Robinson have completed their service as Trustees. Both were founding members who made substantial contributions to defining the Trust's governance function.
Daniela Amodei, Anthropic's President, highlighted Cuéllar's cross-sector experience in law, government, academia, and technology as particularly valuable. She emphasized the need for leaders who have thoroughly examined technology's societal role as AI systems grow more powerful. She also thanked Bahl and Robinson for their foundational contributions during the Trust's establishment.
Shah acknowledged Bahl and Robinson's partnership since 2023, crediting them with helping construct the Trust from inception, including appointing board members like Jay Kreps and Reed Hastings who have enhanced Anthropic's governance structure.
Bahl, who leads Evidence Action, described her Trust service as an honor during a critical period for Anthropic and the AI sector. She commended Anthropic's leadership for their serious approach to safety and societal benefit considerations.
Robinson, who heads the Centre for Effective Altruism, expressed appreciation for contributing during the Trust's foundational period. He praised the sustained dedication to safety and public benefit demonstrated by Anthropic's leadership and Trustees as the organization has grown and developed.