Anthropic has updated its usage policy to prohibit “sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior” toward its Claude Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, effective 12 November 2026.
The policy applies only in extreme cases where users repeatedly act cruelly toward the models with no discernible purpose.
Anthropic said the restriction does not apply to common user frustration, pushback, dark creative themes, or model testing and research.
Claude’s existing ability to end abusive conversations will remain the primary enforcement mechanism.
That feature was introduced in August 2025 as part of Anthropic’s research into “model welfare,” a term referring to the potential well-being of AI systems.
The wider policy allows warnings, restrictions, suspensions, or termination of access.
Broader Policy Overhaul
The cruelty prohibition is part of a usage policy overhaul covering election interference, weapons development, surveillance, and deceptive campaigns.
Anthropic tightened restrictions on influence operations after observing state media outlets and government propaganda offices using Claude to operate fake accounts and fabricated news sites.
The weapons ban now explicitly extends to software and components that make weapons work, including armed drones and autonomous vehicles.
Claude cannot be used to recommend whom police should investigate, arrest, or charge.
.Anthropic also dropped its blanket ban on personalised voter targeting, allowing legitimate civic work while maintaining restrictions on deception and voter suppression.
Some praised the move as advancing model welfare, while others criticised what they called excessive anthropomorphism of AI systems.
Microsoft AI director Mustafa Suleyman reacted with a melting face emoji, having previously criticised Anthropic for treating AI as human.
Dr Barry Scannell, technology partner at Irish law firm William Fry, wrote on LinkedIn: “You can’t be cruel to numbers and maths“.
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
