Star AI Researcher Departs Anthropic Over 'Anti-China' Stance
Yao Shunyu, a prominent Chinese artificial intelligence researcher, has left Anthropic to join Google DeepMind following disagreements with the AI startup's geopolitical stance. The move comes after Anthropic officially labeled China as an "adversarial nation" in its corporate policies earlier this year.
Career Shift Driven by Values
In a personal statement published on his professional website, Yao explained his departure: "When the company you've dedicated years to starts treating your homeland as an adversary, it creates an impossible tension. I can't separate my scientific work from my cultural identity."
The 34-year-old machine learning specialist had been with Anthropic since 2023, contributing to foundational work on constitutional AI frameworks. His exit follows a controversial policy update where Anthropic joined several U.S. tech firms in adopting stricter security protocols for researchers with Chinese nationality.
Industry-Wide Implications
The recruitment battle for AI talent is heating up amid increasing geopolitical tensions. While Anthropic maintains its policies are necessary for security compliance, critics argue such measures could accelerate a "brain drain" from American AI companies to multinational competitors not bound by similar restrictions.
Google DeepMind declined to comment on Yao's specific role but confirmed his appointment in a brief statement: "We welcome exceptional AI talent from all backgrounds who share our commitment to responsible AI development."
The Human Cost of Tech Nationalism
Since announcing his decision, Yao has received numerous messages from other foreign-born researchers expressing similar internal conflicts. "This is about more than one job change," he noted. "It's about whether science can remain truly international in an age of competing technological ecosystems."
Industry analysts will be watching closely to see whether other high-profile transfers follow, potentially reshaping the global AI talent landscape.