Anthropic says it has disrupted attempts to use its Claude AI models in ways that could support biological weapons development, as concerns grow over the risks posed by advanced AI.
Anthropic says it has identified and disrupted attempts to use its artificial intelligence models for activity that could support the development of biological weapons.
The findings were published in the AI company’s latest threat intelligence report, which details suspected misuse of its technology by criminals, state-backed groups and politically motivated individuals.
Anthropic said it had identified five cases in which people used its Claude models in ways that could support biological weapons development between December 2025 and August 2026.
The company described biological misuse as “one of the most serious risks of frontier AI models”, warning that without safeguards such capabilities could have “catastrophic consequences”.
It also stressed the dual-use nature of biological information, noting that knowledge used to develop harmful agents could also contribute to vaccines or treatments for disease.
Jacob Klein, Anthropic’s head of threat intelligence, told the New York Times that the cases were “an incredibly nuanced situation”, rather than straightforward attempts to create weapons.
The report also identified six cases in which Claude was allegedly used to develop software for conventional weapons, including firearms, missiles, armed drones and bombs, as well as systems used for targeting and control.
Anthropic said its models had also been used in cyber-attacks, surveillance operations, scams and influence campaigns. Actors linked to a Russia-based cyber espionage campaign and an Iranian propaganda institution were among those identified.
The company said it had disrupted malicious use of its Claude Haiku, Sonnet and Opus models, while none of the cases involved its Fable or powerful Mythos models apart from one instance involving model distillation.
Anthropic said it had incorporated the findings into its systems to improve its ability to detect and disrupt similar activity and had shared intelligence with authorities and industry partners where appropriate.
The report comes amid growing concern over the potential consequences of increasingly capable AI systems.
Anthropic safety researcher Evan Hubinger warned earlier this week that he believed there was a greater than 10 per cent chance AI could eventually pose an existential threat to humanity.
OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki has also called for voluntary slowdowns in AI development until stronger safeguards are established.
US senator Bernie Sanders has gone further, calling for a temporary pause on advanced AI development and a ban on artificial superintelligence.
President Donald Trump, however, has rejected calls to slow development, arguing that the US needs to remain ahead in the global AI race.
Anthropic blocks potential attempt to use AI for making biological weapons
