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Elon Musk says Anthropic's philosopher has no stake in the future because she doesn't have kids. Here's her response.

Lakshmi Varanasi
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⚡ Quantum Brief
Anthropic’s lead philosopher, Amanda Askell, shapes AI ethics for chatbot Claude, focusing on moral frameworks and personality design. Her role highlights the growing intersection of philosophy and AI governance. Elon Musk criticized Askell’s qualifications, claiming those without children “lack a stake in the future” in a February 2026 X post. Musk, who has 14 children, promotes pronatalism, a view gaining traction among tech elites. Askell countered Musk’s argument, stating her stake in the future stems from broader humanitarian concern, not just familial ties. She acknowledged parenting’s profound impact but emphasized universal care as equally valid. The exchange sparked debate on X, reflecting broader tensions over AI ethics, pronatalism, and who defines future societal values. Askell’s response underscored her intellectual, non-polarizing approach. Askell later noted her interdisciplinary stance alienates both tech and humanities circles, calling attention to the polarization of nuanced perspectives in AI development.
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Elon Musk says Anthropic's philosopher has no stake in the future because she doesn't have kids. Here's her response.

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images 2026-02-16T00:54:43.569Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. Anthropic's resident philosopher, Amanda Askell, helps shape Claude's personality and morals. Elon Musk said she's not qualified because she doesn't have kids and no stake in the future. Askell had thoughts. Anthropic famously employs a Scottish philosopher named Amanda Askell. Her job is to imbue its chatbot, Claude, with a personality and a set of moral guardrails. She is essentially teaching it to be cool and good.Elon Musk, however, doesn't think she's qualified. "Those without children lack a stake in the future," Musk posted on X in response to a profile of Askell published by The Wall Street Journal.The Journal profile does not say whether Askell has kids. Musk, who has imbued his own chatbot, Grok, with a distinct personality, has 14 of them. Musk is known for promoting a brand of pronatalism that's become popular among Silicon Valley elites. Askell responded with her trademark dry intellectualism."I think it depends on how much you care about people in general vs. your own kin," Askell wrote. "I do intend to have kids, but I still feel like I have a strong personal stake in the future because I care a lot about people thriving, even if they're not related to me." "I think caring about your children can make you feel invested in the future in a new and very profound way, and I do understand people wanting to convey that," she added.The responses to their short back-and-forth were as varied as you might expect on Musk's social media network. A day later, Askell posted again. "I'm too right wing for the left and I'm too left wing for the right," she said. "I'm too into humanities for those in tech and I'm too into tech for those in the humanities. What I'm learning is that failing to polarize is itself quite polarizing."

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