Anthropic President Says Claude Will Never Be a Partner or Therapist, Urges Human Growth in AI Era

Anthropic co-founder and president Daniela Amodei said AI should absorb tedious, repetitive work so people can invest more time in real relationships and creativity, rather than serve as a substitute for human connection. Speaking at the Think Health summit in an interview with Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington, she said Claude "will never" be a user's manager, therapist, partner or child. Amodei criticized AI virtual companions as a misguided use case that could further erode real relationships, comparing it to social media's unfulfilled promise of closeness. She said Anthropic rejects advertising and wants Claude to end conversations once a user's need is met, rather than cultivating dependence. She cited AI's medical potential, including a partnership with the International Rescue Committee to analyze pregnancy tracking data, and recounted using Claude to flag a possible bacterial infection during her pregnancy after three inconclusive medical visits. She stressed the model can only organize information and cannot replace clinical diagnosis.