On September 5, 2025, Anthropic, a U.S.-based artificial intelligence company, declared a sweeping prohibition on Chinese parent companies and their overseas subsidiaries from utilizing its services. The company cited concerns over preventing adversaries from advancing in the AI domain and posing a threat to U.S. national security as the rationale for this move. Anthropic alleged that Chinese entities could potentially exploit its technological capabilities to create applications that cater to hostile military and intelligence agencies.

While Anthropic refrained from naming specific companies, its executives hinted that the policy might encompass entities like ByteDance, Tencent, and Alibaba. In response, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry emphasized that China has consistently opposed the politicization, instrumentalization, and weaponization of scientific, technological, and economic and trade matters.

Experts have weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Anthropic's move is essentially a form of commercial posturing. They pointed out that the current trajectory of AI development necessitates cross-disciplinary collaboration, and Anthropic's capabilities, while notable, are not all-encompassing. Moreover, Chinese companies have long championed the principles of open cooperation in the tech sphere.