Anthropic says it never sought ban on open-weight AI models; CEO calls for chip controls, safety testing
San Francisco, July 28
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has clarified that it does not support a blanket ban on open-weight AI models, with CEO Dario Amodei arguing that policy efforts should instead focus on preventing advanced AI chips from reaching authoritarian regimes, curbing industrial-scale model distillation, and mandating safety testing for powerful AI systems.
In a blog post titled "Our position on open-weights models", Amodei said speculation that Anthropic wanted to prohibit open-weight models was incorrect.
"Anthropic has never advocated for a ban on open-weights models," Amodei said, adding that, "Open-weights models that don't have dangerous capabilities are a public good: they don't cost anything besides the compute needed to run them, and they provide value to businesses, developers, and researchers."
The clarification comes amid an industry debate over open-weight AI models, particularly those developed in China, following reports that some US officials were considering restrictions on their use. Several major technology companies have backed an open letter supporting open-weight AI, while Anthropic's absence from the initiative had fuelled criticism that it favoured tighter restrictions.
Amodei said protectionist bans would not address what he described as the two biggest national security risks: authoritarian governments developing more capable AI systems than the United States, and the misuse of advanced AI models for cyber or biological attacks.
Instead, he proposed three policy measures -- tightening controls on exports of advanced AI chips and chipmaking equipment to China, cracking down on industrial-scale AI model distillation, and requiring mandatory safety testing for sufficiently capable AI models regardless of whether they are open or closed.
Amodei said, "We have not and are not advocating for a ban on open-weights models as a category. We should instead focus on keeping powerful chips out of authoritarian hands, stopping industrial-scale distillation, and requiring safety testing of all sufficiently capable models, open and closed."
While expressing support for many of the benefits highlighted by advocates of open-weight AI, Amodei said he disagreed with claims that open-weight models inherently improve AI safety, arguing that such assumptions should be validated through rigorous testing rather than accepted in advance.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Chip controls to China? That's just another way for US to maintain technological supremacy. India should focus on developing its own AI chips and models rather than getting caught in this US-China tech war. We have the talent pool - IITs produce world-class engineers. Make in India for AI! 🇮🇳
"Mandatory safety testing for all capable models" - this is common sense. Remember how many deepfake scams have happened in India recently? From fake video calls to AI-generated voice scams targeting elderly people. We need global standards, not just US or China dictating rules.
The debate is fascinating - open vs closed models. As a developer working on AI startups in Bangalore, I can say open-weight models from Meta and others have been game-changers for us. Without them, we'd be completely dependent on expensive APIs from US companies. Amodei's position seems balanced - not banning open models but ensuring safety. Make sense.
"Curbing industrial-scale model distillation" - this is interesting. Chinese companies have been accused of distilling models from US companies. But isn't that how technology spreads? India also benefits from learning from open models. The real issue is authoritarian regimes using AI for surveillance and control. India must ensure our AI development is ethical and democratic.
Amodei makes a valid point about not assuming open-weight models inherently improve safety. In India, we've seen open-source software sometimes lead to security issues. The same could apply to AI. But blanket bans are not the answer - we need nuanced policies that promote innovation while preventing misuse. Our government
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.