Anthropic has entrusted philosopher Amanda Askell with a pivotal mission: to instill a nuanced sense of morality in its AI chatbot, Claude. As the company pushes the boundaries of artificial intelligence, Askell’s role is central to shaping not just how Claude responds to questions, but how it understands and navigates ethical dilemmas. Askell, a researcher with a background in philosophy and machine learning, brings a unique blend of academic rigor and technical insight to the task. Her work focuses on aligning AI behavior with human values—ensuring that the systems don’t just follow rules, but understand the moral weight behind them. This is especially critical for large language models, which can generate responses that are technically correct but ethically questionable. At Anthropic, Askell is part of a broader effort to develop AI that is not only intelligent but also responsible. The company, known for its commitment to AI safety, has long emphasized the need for systems that can reason about right and wrong in complex, real-world scenarios. Claude’s ability to reflect on moral implications—whether in medical decisions, social justice issues, or personal dilemmas—depends heavily on the frameworks Askell helps design. Her approach combines philosophical ethics with empirical testing, using methods like reinforcement learning from human feedback and moral preference modeling. By analyzing how humans judge ethical decisions, Askell helps train Claude to make choices that align with widely accepted moral principles, while remaining sensitive to context and nuance. This work is not without challenges. Moral reasoning is inherently subjective, and cultural, social, and individual differences complicate the creation of universal ethical guidelines. Askell’s task is to build systems that are not only consistent but also adaptable—capable of learning from diverse perspectives without reinforcing bias. As AI becomes more embedded in daily life, the need for ethical grounding grows. Askell’s role exemplifies a new frontier in AI development: the fusion of philosophy and technology to create systems that don’t just perform tasks, but do so in ways that reflect human values. Her work at Anthropic may well shape how future AI interacts with the world—making it not just smarter, but also more humane.