US AI Leader Blocks Chinese-Owned Entities

Expansion of Restrictions on AI Access

Anthropic, a prominent artificial intelligence startup backed by Amazon, has announced new restrictions that prevent Chinese-run companies and organizations from accessing its AI services. This decision is part of a broader effort to limit access in "authoritarian regions," reinforcing existing legal and security concerns. The company, known for its Claude chatbot, emphasizes AI safety and responsible development.

Currently, companies based in China, as well as those from countries like Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are already excluded from using Anthropic's commercial services. Similarly, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other US-based AI products are not available within China. This absence has led to the rise of local AI models developed by Chinese firms such as Alibaba and Baidu.

In a recent update to its terms of service, Anthropic stated that it is now taking additional steps to enforce these restrictions. The company noted that some groups continue to access its services through subsidiaries located in different countries. To address this, the updated policy prohibits entities whose ownership structures place them under the control of jurisdictions where the company’s products are not allowed, regardless of their operational location.

The restrictions will apply to entities that are more than 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by companies in unsupported regions. This move marks a significant shift, as it is the first time a major US AI company has publicly imposed such a formal restriction.

Nicholas Cook, a lawyer with extensive experience in the AI industry, highlighted the implications of this decision. He noted that while the immediate commercial impact may be limited, as US AI providers already face barriers in the Chinese market, the stance taken by Anthropic could prompt discussions about whether other companies should follow suit.

An Anthropic executive revealed that the change could affect revenues by "low hundreds of millions of dollars." Despite these challenges, the company continues to grow. Based in San Francisco, Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former executives from OpenAI.

Recently, the company secured $13 billion in its latest funding round, bringing its total valuation to $183 billion. It now serves over 300,000 business customers, and the number of accounts expected to generate more than $100,000 annually has nearly tripled compared to a year ago.

Some users in China still manage to access US-based AI platforms like ChatGPT or Claude through virtual private networks (VPNs). However, the perception of the US leading in AI innovation has been challenged this year. Chinese startup DeepSeek introduced a chatbot that rivals top American systems at a significantly lower cost, highlighting the growing competition in the global AI landscape.