Blackshear Exits Mysten Labs to Focus on AI Security at Anthropic

Sam Blackshear, co-founder and chief technology officer of Mysten Labs, has announced his departure from the company to join Anthropic. He will be working on defensive security research at a time when AI is increasingly being used by attackers. According to Blackshear, he was drawn to this opportunity because it allows him to do hands-on technical work while exploring new problem domains.

Mysten Labs, the creator of the Sui blockchain, was founded in September 2021 by Blackshear and four former Meta executives. After Blackshear's departure, Evan Cheng will take on the role of setting the 'technical vision' for Mysten going forward.

Blackshear emphasized his commitment to remaining a close advisor to Mysten and the Sui ecosystem, as well as his interest in continuing involvement with the Move Foundation. His decision to step down comes at a critical time for blockchain security, given the growing threat of AI-powered attacks.