Goldman Sachs Blocks Hong Kong Bankers From Using Anthropic’s Claude AI
Synopsis
Goldman Sachs has barred its Hong Kong employees from using Anthropic's Claude AI models, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing four sources. The bank made the decision after consulting Anthropic and concluding under a strict reading of its contract that Hong Kong staff should not access any Anthropic products. The move does not affect Goldman's contracts with other AI vendors including OpenAI. Anthropic said Claude had never been officially supported in Hong Kong. Goldman's chief information officer said in February the bank was working with Anthropic to develop AI agents for internal banking functions.
Goldman Sachs has stopped its Hong Kong staff from using Anthropic’s Claude AI models, a decision that followed the bank's taking a strict interpretation of its contract with Anthropic. The move does not impact its other AI tools, including those from OpenAI.
Key Highlights
- Goldman Sachs has restricted employees in Hong Kong from accessing Claude models, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
- The decision came after Goldman consulted Anthropic and applied a strict reading of its existing agreement with the company.
- The restriction does not affect Goldman’s agreements with other AI providers, including OpenAI.
- Goldman’s CIO Marco Argenti said in February that the bank was working with Anthropic to develop AI agents for automating internal banking processes.
Goldman Cuts Hong Kong Staff Off From Claude
Goldman Sachs has blocked its Hong Kong-based bankers from using Anthropic’s AI models, according to the Financial Times. Staff at the US bank lost access to Claude models a few weeks ago. The decision followed direct discussions with Anthropic, with Goldman concluding, under a strict interpretation of its contract, that Hong Kong employees should not be granted access to any Anthropic products. Neither Goldman Sachs nor Anthropic responded to the matter.
Why Hong Kong, and What Anthropic Said
While AI tools from US companies such as ChatGPT and Claude are restricted in mainland China, Hong Kong has largely remained outside those limits, with access controlled by company policies rather than law. Anthropic told the FT that Claude had never been officially “supported” in Hong Kong but did not elaborate further. The move appears to reflect Goldman adopting a cautious stance on geographic access under its contract with Anthropic, rather than responding to any new legal or regulatory requirement from authorities.
The Bigger Picture, Goldman Is Still Deep Into Anthropic
The restriction in Hong Kong contrasts with Goldman’s broader AI strategy. Just two months earlier, in February, chief information officer Marco Argenti said the bank was actively partnering with Anthropic to develop AI-driven agents aimed at automating a growing number of internal banking tasks. That collaboration continues and is not affected by the Hong Kong decision.
The restriction also does not apply to Goldman’s agreements with other AI providers, meaning employees in Hong Kong can still use OpenAI’s tools. It is a targeted limitation that highlights how contract details around AI use are increasingly influencing everyday operations for bank employees globally.
FAQs
- Which Goldman Sachs staff are affected?
Employees based in Hong Kong lost access to Claude models a few weeks ago. The restriction does not apply to staff in other regions.
- Can Goldman Hong Kong staff still use ChatGPT?
Yes, the restriction applies only to Anthropic’s products and does not affect Goldman’s agreements with other AI providers, including OpenAI.
- Why is Claude blocked in Hong Kong specifically?
Goldman applied a strict interpretation of its contract with Anthropic after consulting the company, concluding that Hong Kong staff should not have access. Anthropic stated that Claude was never officially supported in Hong Kong.
- Does this affect Goldman’s wider partnership with Anthropic?
No, Goldman’s broader collaboration with Anthropic to build AI agents for internal banking functions continues and is not impacted by the Hong Kong decision.
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