For years, ambitious students eager to make their mark in Silicon Valley pursued majors such as computer science, software engineering, and data analytics — formerly reliable paths that, in the age of AI, have he returned unsure. However, in an unexpected twist, at least one major is now translating into high-profile jobs across the industry: philosophy.
As a leading AI firm compete to cement their dominancethey are also grappling with the complexities of developing and releasing robust systems with dark inner workings. Enter philosophers, who are increasingly taking on formal roles in companies like Anthropogenic AND Google DeepMind. Their work focuses on interpreting model behavior, aligning systems with human values and guiding decisions on how these technologies should be handled.
“It seems to be a good time for philosophers on the job market.” Anil Setha professor of neuroscience at the University of Sussex who researches consciousness, told the Observer. “That’s great. More companies should hire philosophers, because thinking clearly is more and more important.”
Prominent philosophers at Anthropic, Google DeepMind
One of the most outstanding figures of the field is Amanda Askella Scottish-born philosopher who studied at New York University and Oxford University. After work in OpenAIAskell moved to Anthropic in 2021, where she focuses on shaping the behavior of her model Claude. She is also joined by fellow philosophers such as Joe Carlsmithwho came to Anthropic last year after a seven-year stint at Open Philanthropy and similarly works for the character of Claude.
At Google DeepMind, the company’s efforts around AI and morality are led by Jason Gabriela former Oxford professor with a background in political philosophy. The laboratory has also recently been hired Henry Shevlina professor at the University of Cambridge, to work on issues such as “machine consciousness, human-AI relationships and AGI readiness“, according to his announcement.
The questions of whether AI can ever achieve consciousness—and what that means for human-machine relationships—remain particularly complex. Companies should avoid repeating “moral mistakes” while also avoiding prematurely granting rights to AI systems, which could risk “impeding our ability to control them, to regulate them, to keep them in line with human society,” Seth said.
Anthropic has been among the most vocal companies on this front, not only hiring philosophers, but also creating one dedicated model wellness team. MetaAI chief, Alexander Wanghas also described the welfare model as “a very important topicThis deserves more consideration. Others are more skeptical. Mustafa SulejmanCEO of Microsoft AI, has warned against treating AI systems as self-aware it can take society into dangerous territory.
For now, the motives behind the employment of philosophers by industry seem substantial. “They’re hiring good people, not just people who are going to be some kind of PR and not just people who are going to translate for the public what’s going on.” Peter Godfrey-Smitha philosophy professor at the University of Sydney, told the Observer. “These are people who investigate issues,” added the philosopher, who previously counted Shevlin among his Ph.D. students at the CUNY Graduate Center.
The intersection of AI and philosophy is not limited to Silicon Valley. Academia is rapidly adapting as long-standing philosophical questions—about consciousness, morality, minds, and computation—take on a new urgency. In some cases, researchers working at this intersection are even developing new forms of language that incorporate mathematical techniques, reflecting changes that didn’t exist a decade ago, according to Godfrey-Smith.
Whether these changes will meaningfully reshape career prospects for philosophers remains uncertain. Graduates with bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and religion win an average salary of $65,000below the $70,000 median for all degree holders, according to 2023 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, which identifies law as the most common profession for such graduates.
For philosophy Ph.D. holders, the traditional path has been clearer. “It’s almost certain that your default plan is to teach philosophy at the university level,” said Robert Long, who runs Eleos AI, a nonprofit focused on the well-being of AI.
The emergence of philosopher roles at frontier AI firms is unlikely to dramatically reshape the job market on its own, Long told the Observer. However, the broader growth of research centers focused on AI and ethics could “significantly change the labor market”. However, the change will be gradual. “There are more and more places to do philosophy, but not enough to make the job market less difficult and stressful for many people.”
