Anthropic updates Claude restrictions on weapons, surveillance and physical systems

Anthropic announced usage-policy changes on October 8 that restrict Claude's use in weapons software and surveillance and require human oversight for potentially harmful physical deployments, Gadget Review reported. The rules take effect November 12 across Claude.ai, Claude Code, its API and integrated products. The weapons restriction explicitly covers guidance and control systems for armed drones and autonomous vehicles. Surveillance prohibitions include tracking people without consent, recommending investigation or arrest targets, and building surveillance tools. Hardware capable of causing injury requires a qualified human who can observe and intervene. Qualified humans must also review recommendations before they affect health, legal rights, finances or essential services. Affected individuals must be told AI was involved.