A US technology company, Anthropic, reported that its AI models were used for research that could help develop biological weapons in several attempts over the past eight months. The firm listed these cases in a report issued on Thursday, including an instance where a scientist sought to engineer a mosquito-borne virus to make it more harmful in live animals. According to the company's head of threat intelligence, Jacob Klein, the research may not have been intended for malicious use, but Anthropic erred on the side of caution and banned the accounts involved. The report also highlighted bids to use its AI model Claude for missile projects and espionage.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Anthropic, an artificial intelligence firm, has faced public scrutiny over its partnership with the Pentagon and concerns about misuse of AI technology. Through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, The Intercept obtained documents revealing contracts between Anthropic and other tech giants like Google, OpenAI, and xAI, worth up to $200 million each, for developing AI tools aimed at enhancing military capabilities. Simultaneously, Anthropic reported that it had disrupted several attempts by individuals to misuse its models, including a case where someone tried to use the technology to engineer more harmful strains of viruses like chikungunya.
AI researchers and industry figures have issued stark warnings about the potential dangers posed by advanced AI systems, with some calling for urgent government regulation and international collaboration to manage AI development. The fear is that as AI rapidly improves, it could pose existential threats if not properly controlled, such as hacking early warning systems or synthesizing and spreading novel pathogens. This has led to debates over whether current safeguards are adequate and calls for voluntary slowdowns in the pace of AI advancement.
Jacob Coxon, a researcher at Anthropic who recently resigned, highlighted concerns about an impending race among companies like Anthropic and OpenAI toward superintelligent systems that could pose catastrophic risks. Despite these warnings, there is also skepticism about the immediacy and nature of such threats, with some arguing for more precise regulation focused on specific issues rather than general fears about AI's impact on society or employment.
Written for “AI Safety And Risks” on 2026-09-12,
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Leaning score withheld for article 8043: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-11
Anthropic has disrupted several attempts to use its artificial intelligence models for research that could help develop biological weapons, the United States technology company has reported.
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company → disrupt → weapons
The firm listed the cases in a report issued on Thursday outlining misuse of its models, including the chatbot Claude, over the past eight months.
asserted
firm → list → months
Concern continues to rise over the potential dangers posed by AI development.
asserted
Concern → continue → development
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list of 3 items- list 1 of 3AI researcher quits Anthropic saying AI race ‘could kill us all’
- list 2 of 3Anthropic discloses 4th AI hacking incident as researcher quits over safety
- list 3 of
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researcher → quit → safety
3Anthropic claims Claude AI used for missile projects, global espionage
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AI → claim → projects
Anthropic said it could not determine whether the research was legitimate or malicious, as inquiry that leads to vaccines can also help engineer dangerous pathogens.
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that → say → pathogens
The company said it erred on the side of caution.
asserted
it → say → caution
In one case in May, a scientist sought help with a grant application to engineer mutations to chikungunya – a mosquito-borne virus similar to malaria – to make it more harmful in live animals.
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it → seek → animals
Anthropic said the case was worrying in part because it could tell the work was intended for a military research institute.
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work → say → institute
It banned the accounts involved.
asserted
It → ban → accounts
“What we don’t know is if the research was meant to be weaponised,” Jacob Klein, Anthropic’s head of threat intelligence, told The New York Times.
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Klein → know → Times
Andrew Weber of the Council on Strategic Risks, who reviewed the report before its release, told the newspaper that access to such models should be limited to trusted researchers.
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access → review → researchers
Anthropic said evaluations of its older models last year found they could not meaningfully assist dangerous biological research, but newer models can complete complex scientific work.
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models → say → work
The same report set out bids to use Claude for missile projects and espionage.
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report → set → projects
Two days before the report, a researcher quit Anthropic, saying the race to develop AI could wipe out humanity.
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race → quit → humanity
President Donald Trump late on Thursday dismissed the rising concerns regarding the technology.
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Trump → dismiss → technology
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he is concerned that the US will be in a “very bad position” if it does not lead the AI race.
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it → speak → race
Asked if he has concerns that AI could lead to human extinction, he said: “No, I don’t have any.”
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I → ask → any
