Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is warning that artificial intelligence could create trillionaires and ignite public backlash if the economic gains are tightly concentrated. In an interview with Axios, Amodei said tech leaders cannot promise massive AI driven abundance for themselves without risking serious political and social consequences.

Amodei argued that AI should be treated as a serious civilizational challenge, not just a business opportunity. He said the real risk is not rapid growth, but the perception that everyday people are excluded from the benefits while a small group captures extreme wealth.

He suggested that AI could realistically produce trillion dollar fortunes, but assuming the public would quietly accept that outcome would be a mistake. If people believe the system is unfair, he warned, backlash could shape policy through anger rather than thoughtful planning.

To prevent that scenario, Amodei called for new tax frameworks built for an era of unprecedented wealth creation. He said these policies could apply broadly or target AI companies directly, but delaying the conversation could lead to poorly designed solutions later.

Amodei also backed strong transparency rules and tighter controls on AI chip access for authoritarian governments. While he acknowledged concerns around energy and water use, he said the deeper issue is whether society shares in AI’s abundance or watches it flow upward.