Anthropic says it blocked potential AI bioweapon misuse - ABC News

News Anthropic says it blocked potential AI bioweapon misuse Anthropic says it blocked potential AI bioweapon misuse Sopa Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett By Shafiq Najib September 10, 2026, 9:57 PM Artificial intelligence company Anthropic says it blocked several possible attempts to use its AI technology for research that could potentially support the development of biological weapons, according to a new report from the company. Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI assistant, said it disrupted dozens of instances of potentially malicious use of its AI models since December 2025, including several examples of what the company described as "biological misuse." Related Fallout after dire warning on AI from scientists The report details five case studies involving the use of Anthropic's models in ways the company said "could support biological weapons development." In one instance, Anthropic said a researcher outside the United States accessed Claude from a region where the AI assistant is not supported and used the model while researching highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu. According to the company, the research focused in part on the virus' adaptation to mammals. In this photo illustration, the Anthropic AI logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Sopa Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett Anthropic said the research was "clearly dual use in nature," noting that understanding how the virus adapts could help scientists identify naturally emerging variants with pandemic potential but could also produce information that could potentially be used to make a virus more dangerous. Anthropic said it banned accounts associated with the cases but stressed that it could not determine whether the researchers intended to cause harm. Some Afghans are being detained by the same country that gave them new lives 14 hours ago Federal bulletin issued ahead of 9/11 anniversary 7 hours ago 10,000-year-old fossilized mastodon found in creek 16 hours ago "We do not assert that they intended harm," the company said in the report. This is not the first time Anthropic has released a report detailing potential misuse of AI. The company has issued three prior threat assessments detailing malicious uses of AI. Related Anthropic AI model hacks 3 companies The latest report was released days after former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon spoke publicly about his concerns over increasingly powerful AI systems. "If you extrapolate into the future, the level of capabilities of these AIs," Coxon told CNN . "They could cause extreme havoc, for example, hacking critical infrastructure, building extinction-level bioweapons." Coxon's comments come as a growing number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill are calling for increased government oversight and new safety regulations for AI development. Related Topics Artificial Intelligence Sponsored Content by Taboola Some Afghans are being detained by the same country that gave them new lives 14 hours ago Celine Dion prepares for comeback shows in Paris 17 hours ago 10,000-year-old fossilized mastodon found in creek 16 hours ago Federal bulletin issued ahead of 9/11 anniversary 7 hours ago ABC News Live 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events