US AI firm Anthropic enables Chinese-language options for Claude chatbot

Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic has expanded the language options for its Claude chatbot to include Chinese. The company confirmed that users can now select simplified or traditional Chinese as their preferred on-screen language in supported markets. However, Anthropic continues to block users from mainland China. The addition of Chinese-language options was initially thought to signal a relaxation of access restrictions, but analysts believe the update is targeted at overseas Chinese communities rather than mainland China.

China appeared briefly as a billing country option before disappearing from the settings, and UnionPay, China's dominant bank card network, was listed as a payment option during checkout, though confirmation of its activation has not been independently verified. Anthropic did not comment on the updates. The company's strategy of localizing the chatbot for Chinese-speaking users while maintaining strict access controls to the mainland reflects a broader trend among American AI firms, such as OpenAI, that have also begun serving Chinese-speaking clients despite keeping their services blocked in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.