For many years, ambitious students eager to make their mark in Silicon Valley have pursued degrees such as computer science, software engineering, and data analytics, once reliable paths that have become precarious in the age of artificial intelligence. However, in an unexpected twist, at least one degree is now translating into high-level jobs across the industry: philosophy.
As leading AI companies race to consolidate their dominance, they are also grappling with the complexities of developing and launching powerful systems with murky inner workings. This is where philosophers come in, who are increasingly taking on formal roles at companies like Anthropic and Google DeepMind. Their work focuses on explaining typical behavior, aligning systems with human values, and guiding decisions about how to engage with these technologies.
“This seems to be a good time for philosophers to be in the workforce,” Anil Seth, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Sussex who researches consciousness, told the Observer. “This is great. More companies should hire philosophers, because thinking clearly is increasingly important.”
Notable Anthropic Philosophers, Google DeepMind
One of the most prominent figures in this field is Amanda Askell, the Scottish-born philosopher who studied at New York University and the University of Oxford. After working at OpenAI, Askel moved to Anthropic in 2021, where she focuses on shaping the behavior of her Claude model. She is joined by fellow philosophers such as Joe Carlsmith, who came to Anthropic last year after seven years at Open Philanthropy and is similarly working on the character of Claude.
At Google DeepMind, the company’s efforts around AI and ethics are led by Iason Gabriel, a former Oxford University professor with a background in political philosophy. The lab also recently recruited Henry Shefflin, a professor at the University of Cambridge, to work on issues such as “Machine consciousness, human-AI relations, and AGI readiness“, according to his announcement.
Questions about whether AI can achieve consciousness at all – and what that means for human-machine relations – remain particularly complex. Seth said companies should avoid repeating “ethical mistakes” while also staying away from granting rights to AI systems prematurely, which could risk “hindering our ability to control them, regulate them, and keep them compatible with human society.”
Anthropic has been among the most vocal companies on this front, not only hiring philosophers but also creating a model team dedicated to social care. Likewise, Alexander Wang, chief AI officer at Meta, described exemplary luxury as “A very important topic“This deserves more attention. Others are more skeptical. Treating AI systems as sentient could lead society into dangerous territory,” Mustafa Suleiman, CEO of Microsoft AI, warned.
At present, the motivations behind employing philosophers in industry appear to be fundamental. “They’re hiring good people, not just PR-type people, not just people who translate what’s happening for the public,” Peter Godfrey-Smith, a professor of philosophy at the University of Sydney, told the Observer. “These are the people who research the issues,” added the philosopher, who previously counted Shevlin among those with a Ph.D. Students at the CUNY Graduate Center.
The intersection between AI and philosophy is not limited to Silicon Valley. Academia is rapidly adapting as old philosophical questions—about consciousness, ethics, minds, and computation—gain new urgency. In some cases, researchers working at this intersection are developing new forms of language that incorporate mathematical techniques, reflecting changes that did not exist a decade ago, according to Godfrey-Smith.
It remains uncertain whether these shifts will meaningfully reshape the career prospects of philosophers. Graduates receive a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion Average pay is $65,000below the average of $70,000 for all degree holders, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which identifies law as the most common occupation for these graduates.
To obtain a doctorate in philosophy. But the traditional path is becoming clearer. “Your default plan is almost certainly to teach philosophy at the university level,” said Robert Long, who leads Eleos AI, a nonprofit focused on AI well-being.
The rise of philosopher roles at frontier AI companies is unlikely to significantly reshape the job market on its own, Long told the Observer. However, the broader growth of research centers focusing on AI and ethics could “materially change the job market.” However, the transition will be gradual. “There are more and more places to practice philosophy, but not enough to make the job market not difficult and stressful for a lot of people.”
