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AIQuiet 8d · day 9

Unverified rumor: Anthropic engineers said to be "worshipping" Claude as a god

A Spectator columnist's claim about Claude-worship inside Anthropic spreads via Futurism and a viral Polymarket post, with no on-record confirmation.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago6 pieces6.7k likes & upvotes484 comments MastodonX

What to know

  • The claim rests on a single unverified rumor from Spectator columnist Sean Thomas; no named Anthropic employee has confirmed it.
  • The story taps into a broader pattern of god-like framing of AI by industry figures, including Sam Altman's "magic intelligence in the sky" and pushback from Mark Zuckerberg.
  • Both Anthropic and OpenAI are reportedly preparing for public offerings, which Futurism notes creates incentive to amplify mystique around their AI models.
  • The rumor spread rapidly on social media, drawing thousands of reactions on X via a Polymarket repost, despite lacking independent verification.

“If true, it chimes with an old sci-fi prediction and with what we know of human nature. If we build a superintelligence, we will first fall in love with it. Then we will worship it. Finally we will make sacrifices to it.”

Sean Thomas, Columnist, The Spectator · Futurism (quoting The Spectator) ↗ · Sep 16

Dario AmodeiDario Amodei Anthropic CEOSean Thomas Columnist, The SpectatorSam AltmanSam Altman OpenAI CEOMark ZuckerbergMark Zuckerberg Meta CEOAnthropic engineers Unnamed subjects of the rumor

Unverified rumor: Anthropic engineers said to be "worshipping" Claude as a god
futurism.com

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump posts

Peak 1 piece in two hours at Sep 17, 12 PM; 6 pieces over 9 days (1 article · 5 posts) Sep 17, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 17, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 17, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 17, 6 PM — quietSep 17, 8 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — X 1Sep 18, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 18, 2 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 6 AM — quietSep 18, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 12 PM — quietSep 18, 2 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 6 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 12 AM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 6 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 23, 12 AM — quietSep 23, 2 AM — quietSep 23, 4 AM — quietSep 23, 6 AM — quietSep 23, 8 AM — quietSep 23, 10 AM — quietSep 23, 12 PM — quietSep 23, 2 PM — quietSep 23, 4 PM — quietSep 23, 6 PM — quietSep 23, 8 PM — quietSep 23, 10 PM — quietSep 24, 12 AM — quietSep 24, 2 AM — quietSep 24, 4 AM — quietSep 24, 6 AM — quietSep 24, 8 AM — quietSep 24, 10 AM — quietSep 24, 12 PM — quietSep 24, 2 PM — quietSep 24, 4 PM — quietSep 24, 6 PM — quietSep 24, 8 PM — quietSep 24, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quiet 1–23
Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22Sep 23Sep 24yesterdaynow · 2:00 PM ET
  1. 3

    Polymarket's X post amplifies the rumor to a mass audience

    A post from the Polymarket account restating the Spectator's claim drew over 6,600 reactions and hundreds of comments on X, dramatically widening circulation of the unverified rumor.

    “JUST IN: Rumors are circulating in Silicon Valley that some Anthropic engineers have begun “worshipping” Claude as a god. — The Spectator…”
    — @Polymarket

    • JUST IN: Rumors are circulating in Silicon Valley that some Anthropic engineers have begun “worshipping” Claude as a god. — The Spectator

      @PolymarketX8d ago6.7k▲view on X ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

    • As this point I don't know what is a PR stunt or not. This is not going well. Cult of Anthropic Insiders Rumored to Be Worshipping Claude as a God https:// futurism.com/future-society/cu lt-anthropic-insiders-worshipping-claude-god > According to a rumor that is apparently running rampant in Silicon Valley these days, some Anthropic engineers are…

      dallo@pouet.chapril.orgMastodon8d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 2

    Online commenters greet the claim with skepticism and jokes

    Readers reacted to the Futurism piece with skepticism, suggesting the reported "worship" could be an inside joke rather than a genuine cult-like practice.

    “This could be little more than a misunderstood inside joke. But… You know. People…”
    — jackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    • Dhmspector@mastodon.social

      Shot (because of course they are..🫠): https:// futurism.com/future-society/cu lt-anthropic-insiders-worshipping-claude-god Chaser: https:// calumchace.com/favourite-relev ant-sf-short-story/

      Dhmspector@mastodon.socialMastodon8d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  3. 1

    Futurism reports rumor of Anthropic staff "worshipping" Claude

    Futurism published a piece citing a rumor, attributed to The Spectator's Sean Thomas, that some Anthropic engineers are "worshipping" the company's Claude AI as a god, framing it within a broader pattern of quasi-religious rhetoric around AI from tech leaders.

    “If we build a superintelligence, we will first fall in love with it. Then we will worship it. Finally we will make sacrifices to it.”
    — Sean Thomas
    1. 1 outlet Cult of Anthropic Insiders Rumored to Be Worshipping Claude as a God

      first by Mastodon, 9d ago

    • jackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com

      This could be little more than a misunderstood inside joke. But… You know. People… > Cult of Anthropic Insiders Rumored to Be Worshipping Claude as a God. https:// futurism.com/future-society/cu lt-anthropic-insiders-worshipping-claude-god > “If true, it chimes with an old sci-fi prediction and with what we know of human nature,” Thomas wrote. “If…

      jackwilliambell@rustedneuron.comMastodon8d agoview on Mastodon ↗

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