Anthropic, a U.S. tech giant backed by Amazon, announced that it will restrict Chinese‑run companies and organizations from using its artificial‑intelligence services. The decision is part of a broader effort to tighten restrictions on “authoritarian regions.” Known for its Claude chatbot, Anthropic has positioned itself as a leader in AI safety and responsible development. It has already barred firms based in China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from accessing its commercial services due to legal and security concerns. The same restriction applies to U.S. competitor OpenAI’s products, such as ChatGPT, which are also unavailable in China. Consequently, Chinese companies like Alibaba and Baidu have developed their own AI models.
In a recent statement, Anthropic said it would update its terms of service to prohibit companies or organizations whose ownership structures are subject to control from jurisdictions where its products are not permitted. The change will affect entities that are more than 50 % owned, directly or indirectly, by companies in unsupported regions. According to Nicholas Cook, a lawyer with 15 years of experience in the AI industry, this is the first time a major U.S. AI company has imposed a formal, public prohibition of this kind.
The move may have only a modest commercial impact, as U.S. AI providers already face barriers in the Chinese market, but it could prompt questions about whether other firms will follow suit. An Anthropic executive estimated that the restriction would affect revenues in the “low hundreds of millions of dollars.” Founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives, Anthropic recently raised $13 billion in its latest funding round and now serves over 300,000 business customers. The number of accounts generating more than $100,000 annually has increased nearly sevenfold in the past year.
Despite the restrictions, some users in China still access U.S. generative‑AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude via VPN services. Meanwhile, Chinese start‑up DeepSeek has unveiled a chatbot that matches top American systems at a lower cost. Anthropic’s restriction reinforces its commitment to AI safety and responsible development. As the AI sector continues to grow, companies like Anthropic are taking steps to ensure their products are used responsibly and in line with their values, highlighting the complexities of the global AI market where firms must navigate diverse regulatory environments and geopolitical tensions.
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