Anthropic: Burnout, Equity Gifts, and FBI Visit

Ivan Vendrov, who claims to have worked at Anthropic from late 2022 to mid-2023, recounts eight months marked by a highly security-oriented environment and burnout. His account also mentions a controversial internal dinner, a visit from the FBI, and a commitment requested regarding equity donations. Anthropic's S-1 confirms a donation program in which 50% of employees participate, while the company has recently filed for an IPO and has not commented.

Declared burnout and signs of austerity after a controversial dinner

Ivan Vendrov describes sleepless nights, walks with equally stressed colleagues, and the difficulty of expressing his emotions candidly at work. Eight months after joining, he indicates that he drafted his resignation letter, choosing not to detail his doubts for fear of alarming colleagues he deemed more competent and well-intentioned. He claims to have ultimately praised the company as an "incredibly good organization." His account mentions a dinner with a sushi chef hosted at the office, followed by critical internal reactions the next day. According to him, a co-founder wrote on Slack that the initiative set the wrong tone and suggested rice-and-beans dinners, reminding everyone that the goal was not to "get rich and eat caviar." He also describes cramped offices stocked with fresh croissants and the arrival of a highly sought-after masseur twice a week, whom he never managed to access.

Equity donation commitments and 50% participation according to the S-1

During his recruitment, a representative reportedly asked Ivan Vendrov if he would agree to donate two-thirds of his equity to charity, specifying that all co-founders had made such a commitment. He writes that he did not know if the offer depended on this and says he accepted. Anthropic offers a program allowing employees to pledge a significant portion of their equity rewards, with the company stating that 50% of employees participate. In 2022, Vendrov says he chose Anthropic over another offer after a conversation with a co-founder who claimed discussions were already underway with regulators in Washington.

Security priority, FBI visit, and market context

The testimony places the activity in a high-pressure work environment, at the intersection of fears of AI-related catastrophe and the ambition to design a safe AGI for commercial use. Ivan Vendrov asserts that the race for security disillusioned and exhausted him. He reports that an FBI agent, during a visit, warned that Anthropic was likely already targeted by several foreign intelligence services. He also mentions more mundane aspects of the early days, such as an office deemed unattractive. This testimony comes just days after Anthropic filed for an IPO, with the company not commenting. According to Vendrov, the period covered spans from late 2022 to mid-2023, totaling eight months, and he specifies that his account is based on his memory and a junior role. His LinkedIn profile indicates that he now works at Midjourney.