Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accepted positions as a paid advisor at both tech giant Microsoft and artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic.
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), an independent body overseeing post-government employment for former officials, has stipulated that Mr. Sunak must not lobby ministers on behalf of either company.
Mr. Sunak, who continues to serve as the Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton, expressed his “delight” at collaborating “with two of the world’s leading tech firms” and intends to donate his earnings to a charitable foundation he established.
During his tenure as prime minister, Mr. Sunak prioritized tech regulation, notably hosting an AI safety summit in 2023.
According to advisory letters from Acoba to Mr. Sunak, published on Thursday, his part-time role at Microsoft will involve providing “high-level strategic perspectives” on geopolitical trends.
Acoba stated that Mr. Sunak informed them his advisory role at Anthropic, an AI firm aiming to compete with industry leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, would be “akin to operating as an internal think tank.”
Acoba noted that Anthropic “has a significant interest in UK government policy,” raising concerns that Mr. Sunak’s appointment could be perceived as offering “unfair access and influence” within government.
The committee further indicated that the appointment with Microsoft, a “major investor” in the UK, presented similar potential conflicts of interest.
However, Acoba also acknowledged that Mr. Sunak’s time away from government would likely diminish the value of any confidential information he may possess. They also reiterated the existing regulations governing employment for former ministers after leaving office.
Mr. Sunak is prohibited from advising on bids for UK contracts or lobbying the government for a period of two years following his last day in ministerial office.
In addition to these tech roles, it has been previously confirmed that Mr. Sunak will serve as a paid advisor to Goldman Sachs, the investment bank where he worked from 2001 to 2004.
Speculation arose following the election that Mr. Sunak, who served as Prime Minister from October 2022 to July 2024, might resign from Parliament to pursue a role in Silicon Valley.
He previously resided in California, where he continues to maintain a residence, and held a US visa until 2021.
However, during his final Prime Minister’s Questions session, Mr. Sunak pledged to dedicate more time to his constituency, describing it as “the greatest place on Earth.”
“If anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire,” he stated.
All proceeds from these new roles will be donated to The Richmond Project, a charity founded by Mr. Sunak and his wife to address numeracy challenges in the UK, an issue he frequently emphasized while in Downing Street.
In a social media post, Mr. Sunak stated he would leverage his roles to “ensure” that upcoming technological advancements “deliver improvements in all of our lives.”
Mr. Sunak added: “I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future.”
“We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution: and felt more quickly.”
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Prosecutors say the emails were “racist, offensive and suggested Sunak should be killed”.
Sunak will take up the part-time role while remaining Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton.
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