Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Monday, criticizing Amodei’s public remarks about artificial intelligence as alarmist and likely to induce panic. The letter was obtained by Axios.
In the letter, Moreno accused Amodei of adopting an "alarmist approach" and making "panic-inducing commentary" about AI. He took particular issue with Amodei’s apparent agreement with what Moreno described as "doomer" views — the idea that AI could ultimately kill humans.
Key points and requests
Moreno wrote, "I do not understand how you can ask them to invest their hard-earned savings in Anthropic's continued development while warning those same Americans that your product could ultimately lead to their extinction." He invoked the adage, "With great power comes great responsibility," adding, "and in this case, I am concerned that you are failing to meet the moment."
The senator used President Trump’s newer terminology, replacing "artificial intelligence (AI)" with "super intelligence (SI)," to underscore the stronger framing. Moreno urged Amodei to place greater emphasis on how AI can be deployed to mitigate the very safety threats being warned about, as well as how AI can strengthen national security and help the United States stay ahead of China.
Political and financial context
The letter comes ahead of an anticipated historic IPO for Anthropic; valuation estimates for the company have been reported as high as nearly $2 trillion. Moreno’s action is part of broader scrutiny from allies of President Trump directed at Dario Amodei.
Public concern about AI development and data centers has become a campaign issue in the midterm elections. For example, Moreno’s fellow Ohio Republican, Sen. Jon Husted, has been targeted by ads accusing him of being pro–data center as he seeks re-election.
Summary
Moreno’s letter increases pressure on Amodei and Anthropic over the company’s public messaging on AI safety at a sensitive moment before the expected IPO, urging a shift toward highlighting AI’s protective and national-security benefits rather than apocalyptic warnings.
