If you thought AI tools were a purely technical topic — here comes geopolitics around the corner. Goldman Sachs has revoked access to Claude for its employees in Hong Kong. For several weeks now, bankers in the Chinese special administrative region have been unable to access Anthropic’s models, either directly or through the bank’s internal AI platforms.
What Happened
According to Bloomberg and the Financial Times, the block doesn’t stem from local regulation but from a strict interpretation of the contractual arrangements between Goldman and Anthropic. After consulting with Anthropic, the bank concluded that Hong Kong-based staff shouldn’t have access to any Anthropic products.
The interesting part: other AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini remain available on Goldman’s internal platforms. The restriction only affects Claude.
The Background
The block reflects growing tensions between the U.S. and China in the AI space. American AI companies are increasingly concerned about so-called ‘distillation’ — the process where intensive use of foreign AI systems could enable local players to develop competing models and extract intellectual property.
What This Means for the Market
For Anthropic, this is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it shows they take their technology seriously and want to control risks. On the other hand, they’re losing part of their financial market business in Asia — while the competition keeps serving.
For us users, it’s a wake-up call: AI tools aren’t just software anymore. They’ve become geopolitical instruments. And who gets to use them where increasingly depends on things that have little to do with technology.
Sources: Bloomberg, Financial Times via Reuters, Disruption Banking