{
  "id": 6682710,
  "title": "China, Iran among countries that have used AI to aid spying, Anthropic says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-11T01:57:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20260911/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "SAN FRANCISCO — Anthropic disclosed on Thursday that it had terminated several instances of state-backed surveillance operations that exploited its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The report, detailing the misuse of its systems, revealed that these activities were carried out by nations and state-aligned actors, primarily between January and July. The perpetrators were located in China, Iran, and west Africa, according to Anthropic's investigation.\n\nThe surveillance campaigns primarily targeted diaspora and dissident communities that these governments have historically monitored. These included pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Tibetan and Falun Gong communities across Asia, as well as Iranian minority groups and opponents of the Iranian regime residing abroad. The report explained that these regimes had been utilizing AI to spy on these communities for some time.\n\nOne instance involved Iranian actors devising a method to identify individuals through their social media accounts. In another case, a contractor employed by Malian national security authorities leveraged Anthropic's AI model, Claude, to create the software facilitating intelligence gathering. The report noted that AI is increasingly replacing the need for a dedicated engineering workforce in such surveillance operations.",
  "summary": "SAN FRANCISCO — Anthropic said Thursday it shut down multiple cases of state-sponsored surveillance operations that used its artificial intelligence (AI) models, and warned that governments and state-aligned actors are increasingly using AI to spy on ethnic minorities and dissidents. The incidents were found and disrupted between January and July, and they originated in China, Iran and west…",
  "key_points": [
    "Anthropic exposed state-backed AI surveillance by China, Iran, and West Africa",
    "Targeted diaspora and dissidents, including Hong Kong activists and Tibetan communities",
    "AI replaced need for engineering workforce in surveillance operations"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The disclosure underscores how authoritarian regimes are turning to AI to enhance their surveillance capabilities, particularly targeting dissident and diaspora communities abroad.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "China, Iran among countries that have used AI to aid spying, Anthropic says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic-6682898",
        "published": "2026-09-11T01:30:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "China, Iran among countries that have used AI to aid spying, Anthropic says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic-6684504",
        "published": "2026-09-11T02:07:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Anthropic blocks weapons work queries on Claude AI from China, Russia users",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/anthropic-blocks-weapons-work-queries-on-claude-ai-from-china-russia",
        "published": "2026-09-11T03:49:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Anthropic says it caught China using Claude to develop an anti-torpedo weapon",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/anthropic-says-it-caught-china-using-claude-to-develop-an-anti",
        "published": "2026-09-11T04:07:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
        "title": "China, Iran among countries that have used AI to aid spying, Anthropic says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic-6713601",
        "published": "2026-09-11T04:52:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "Anthropic says China AI labs used Claude to train models",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/anthropic-says-china-ai-labs-used-claude-to-train-models",
        "published": "2026-09-11T05:05:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Houthis using AI for missiles? Anthropic says Yemen weapons cell using Claude",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/houthis-using-ai-for-missiles-anthropic-says-yemen-weapons-cell-using",
        "published": "2026-09-11T05:32:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "How Yemeni rebels used Anthropic's AI software to design and build guided weapons",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/how-yemeni-rebels-used-anthropics-ai-software-to-design-and-build",
        "published": "2026-09-11T05:34:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Anthropic flags five Claude AI uses linked to biological weapons research",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/anthropic-flags-five-claude-ai-uses-linked-to-biological-weapons",
        "published": "2026-09-11T07:14:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "China, Iran among countries that have used AI to aid spying, Anthropic says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/china-iran-among-countries-that-have-used-ai-to-aid-spying-anthropic-6737395",
        "published": "2026-09-11T09:01:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}