Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company known for its Claude models, has announced that it has taken its latest AI systems offline to comply with newly enacted export controls. The decision, effective immediately, impacts several of its most advanced models and reflects the growing regulatory scrutiny on AI technologies deemed critical to national security.
According to a company spokesperson, the move was prompted by updated regulations from the U.S. Department of Commerce that restrict the export of certain AI capabilities to specific countries.
Anthropic stated that it is working closely with regulators to ensure full compliance and hopes to restore access to the affected models once the necessary licenses are obtained.
The news comes amid a broader trend of tightening controls on AI exports, as governments seek to prevent sensitive technologies from falling into the hands of adversaries. Industry analysts note that such measures could reshape the competitive landscape, particularly for companies with significant international customer bases.
Meanwhile, global financial markets reacted positively to developments in the Middle East, where a preliminary agreement to end the naval blockade of Iranian ports was confirmed by President Donald Trump. Iran also confirmed the initial deal, though implementation awaits a signing ceremony scheduled for Friday in Switzerland.
This has led to a sharp decline in oil prices, with Brent crude falling $4 per barrel and U.S. benchmark crude losing a similar amount.
Stock markets surged across Asia and Europe on the news, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 5% to reach a new record high of 69,317.50. The Kospi in Seoul jumped 5.2%, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.3%.
In Europe, Germany's DAX advanced 1.3%, while France's CAC 40 added 1.1%. U.S.
futures also pointed to a positive open, with the S&P 500 futures up 1.2% and Dow futures gaining 0.9%.
Investors are now looking ahead to key central bank meetings this week, including the Federal Reserve and Bank of England on Thursday, and the Bank of Japan on Tuesday, which is widely expected to raise its benchmark rate to 1%, the highest in over three decades. The dollar slipped slightly against the yen, trading at 160.10 yen, while the euro rose to $1.0845.