Goldman Sachs Blocks Anthropic’s Claude AI for Hong Kong Staff – The Inside Story

Key Points

• Anthropic’s Claude AI has been blocked for Goldman Sachs employees in Hong Kong following recent contract evaluation
• Goldman’s internal AI platform continues to provide access to ChatGPT and Gemini for Hong Kong staff
• The investment bank determined Hong Kong personnel should not utilize Anthropic’s products after contract analysis
• Anthropic’s website does not include Hong Kong among its officially supported regions
• Financial regulators worldwide are examining Anthropic’s latest Mythos model for potential banking sector implications

Goldman Sachs has restricted its Hong Kong-based banking personnel from accessing Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant, according to a source directly familiar with the matter.

Reuters learned from the source that Claude had been accessible to Hong Kong-based employees through Goldman’s proprietary AI infrastructure. This access was terminated within the past several weeks.

Meanwhile, alternative artificial intelligence solutions such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT continue to function on Goldman’s internal system for staff members.

The Financial Times initially broke this story, referencing sources close to the situation. Representatives from Goldman Sachs chose not to provide commentary. Anthropic has yet to respond to media inquiries.

As reported by the FT, Goldman arrived at this conclusion following a rigorous interpretation of its contractual agreement with Anthropic. The financial institution engaged in discussions with Anthropic prior to finalizing its position that Hong Kong-based staff members should avoid using any of Anthropic’s offerings.

An Anthropic representative informed the FT that Claude had never received official designation as “supported” within Hong Kong’s jurisdiction. The firm’s official website excludes Hong Kong from territories where its API or Claude.ai platform are formally accessible.

Hong Kong’s Unique Position in AI Access

Hong Kong occupies an ambiguous space regarding American AI technology deployment. While mainland China prohibits AI systems developed by U.S. corporations, Hong Kong has generally maintained openness, with availability determined by individual technology providers.

This development emerges amid escalating friction between Washington and Beijing concerning artificial intelligence capabilities and information security protocols. An anticipated summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping scheduled for mid-May is projected to address these concerns.

The United States government released an international advisory last week regarding suspected AI technology theft conducted by Chinese AI development teams. During 2024, OpenAI implemented measures to restrict Chinese traffic to its API interface, citing worries that its systems might be exploited by Chinese rivals for model development purposes.

Reuters was unable to verify whether additional financial institutions or corporations have implemented similar Claude restrictions in Hong Kong.

Mythos Model Under Regulatory Microscope

Goldman’s decision coincides with heightened scrutiny from international banking institutions and financial oversight bodies regarding Anthropic’s most recent AI system, Mythos.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority confirmed to Reuters that it has reached out to numerous major financial institutions to gather information on current developments surrounding Mythos. The regulatory body has also instructed these banks to refresh their risk evaluation frameworks and implement suitable protective measures.

Reuters sources indicate that certain lending institutions were already evaluating additional security protocols in reaction to cybersecurity vulnerabilities associated with sophisticated AI technologies.

During February, Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti disclosed that the institution was collaborating with Anthropic on developing AI-enabled agents designed to automate an expanding array of operational tasks.

The Hong Kong government has not provided a response to Reuters’ inquiry for commentary. The HKMA opted against addressing Goldman’s particular action.

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