On March 10, Bloomberg columnist Catherine Thorbecke wrote that despite facing suppression from the U.S. government, both TikTok and Huawei have achieved counter-trend growth. Taking TikTok as an example, with its vast user base and cultural influence, it has successfully resisted the threat of a five-year ban, with its U.S. operations remaining unscathed and even gaining public support due to the political game. Huawei, on the other hand, has become a more competitive tech company through continuous innovation amid nearly a decade of containment. The article argues that such suppression is often accompanied by a wave of public opinion, but the actual damage is limited. Currently, Anthropic is facing a similar dilemma—the Pentagon has labeled its products as a 'supply chain risk,' but the company has responded through legal means and emphasized that the vast majority of its customers remain unaffected. Data shows that since the controversy became public, downloads of Anthropic's Claude app have surged, while downloads of its competitor ChatGPT have slightly declined. Catherine points out that when half of Americans are concerned about the proliferation of AI, it is unwise to antagonize a company focused on safety. She suggests that Anthropic learn from the experiences of TikTok and Huawei: adhere to technological principles, turn suppression into an opportunity to enhance reputation, and leverage public and industry support to solidify its market position.
