- Anthropic is reportedly building a “Big Brother” system to monitor and predict AI activists’ movements to protect its executives and vital infrastructure.
The rabbit hole Anthropic dug appears to be deeper than we thought. Following an exposé by a researcher who recently quit the company, reports indicate the firm is working on a model to keep tabs on activism, particularly those who openly criticize artificial intelligence (AI).
Anthropic’s Extensive Monitoring System Targeting AI Activists
According to investigative reporter Daniel Boguslaw, the premier AI lab is developing an “extensive monitoring system” to protect its interests. He claims the system surveys activists protesting within the vicinity of company executives and its vital physical infrastructure.
The move comes despite Anthropic presenting itself as a “responsible alternative” to OpenAI. It notably rejected a partnership with the US Department of Defense earlier, citing concerns about its technology’s potential use in government surveillance. However, its recent job posting for “Head of National Security Sales (DoW/IC)” in Washington, DC, suggests it has already softened its stance regarding the matter and is now willing to collaborate with the US government.
Citing a podcast interview with Anthropic Global Security Operations Center Manager Keon Ellison and Samdesk CEO Samdesk, Boguslaw noted that the institution already employs advanced risk-detection tools. Samdesk currently conducts AI-assisted threat monitoring for Anthropic, and it has helped the latter dodge activists during key events.
One instance involved an Anthropic executive who had to travel to a major city for a meeting last year. Samdesk learned that a planned protest had moved up because of permitting issues. As a result, it sent an advance warning to the Anthropic executive to leave the venue during the window opened by the rescheduling to avoid running straight into the protesters.
Recognizing the importance of predictive tools for combating activism, particularly in its sector, Anthropic has begun scaling up its internal capabilities to build its own highly sophisticated AI-driven predictive platform.
Critics Raise the Alarm on Anthropic’s AI-Powered Surveillance Tools
What’s more alarming about Boguslaw’s revelation is that Anthropic apparently plans to use its AI technology to gather information from online chatter and geospatial data of identified personalities and groups openly opposing or launching major protests against its business or AI in general.
Anthropic’s direction has become too reminiscent of movies like Minority Report and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where companies and governments rely heavily on predictive platforms to thwart potential infractions. This scenario is raising significant concern among civil rights advocates and privacy experts.
