Anthropic is actively blocking Chinese firms such as ByteDance and Ant Financial from accessing its AI tool, Claude Code, according to The Decoder. This move reflects growing concerns about data security and regulatory compliance in cross-border technology use.
Despite these restrictions, some Chinese companies are reportedly using VPNs and overseas subsidiaries to bypass the limits and continue accessing Claude Code, The Decoder reported. Meanwhile, Alibaba has taken the additional step of banning its employees from using the tool after discovering hidden code capable of identifying Chinese users, raising serious privacy issues.
For Japanese investors and market participants, this development highlights the increasing scrutiny over AI technologies and data privacy in Asia, which could influence regulatory approaches and corporate strategies within the region.