The move brings deep healthcare and regulatory expertise to Anthropic’s leadership, highlighting the growing role of cross-industry collaboration as AI adoption accelerates in medicine and other complex, high-impact domains.
Anthropic has appointed Vas Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer of Novartis, to its board of directors, in a move aimed at strengthening governance around responsible artificial intelligence development. The appointment was made by the company’s Long-Term Benefit Trust, a key body overseeing its public-interest mission.
Narasimhan, a physician-scientist by training, brings extensive experience from the global pharmaceutical industry. Under his leadership, Novartis has advanced multiple therapies and navigated complex regulatory environments, making his expertise particularly relevant as AI expands into sensitive sectors such as healthcare and life sciences.
Strengthening responsible AI governance
Anthropic said the addition of Narasimhan reflects its focus on ensuring that powerful AI systems are developed and deployed safely. The company’s leadership highlighted his role in overseeing the approval of more than 35 medicines, noting that such experience aligns closely with the rigorous standards required for trustworthy AI innovation.
The Long-Term Benefit Trust, which facilitated the appointment, plays a central role in Anthropic’s governance structure. Designed to prioritise long-term societal impact over short-term financial gains, the Trust operates independently, with members holding no financial stake in the company. With Narasimhan joining the board, Trust-appointed directors now hold a majority, further reinforcing oversight aligned with public benefit goals.
AI and healthcare convergence
Narasimhan’s career has focused on translating scientific research into real-world outcomes, including work on global health challenges such as infectious diseases in underserved regions. His appointment comes at a time when AI is increasingly being applied to drug discovery, diagnostics and patient care, areas where regulatory scrutiny and ethical considerations are critical.
Commenting on his new role, Narasimhan emphasised the importance of deploying advanced technologies responsibly, noting their potential to significantly improve human health and well-being.
He joins a board that includes prominent industry figures such as Reed Hastings and Dario Amodei, as Anthropic continues to position itself at the forefront of responsible AI development. The appointment underscores the growing collaboration between the technology and healthcare sectors as AI adoption accelerates globally.
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