Anthropic has reportedly received backing from the UK government amid its dispute with the US Department of War. According to a Financial Times report, UK officials are seeking to encourage the AI company to expand its presence in Britain and strengthen ties with one of the leading US-based AI firms.In a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei (seen by FT), London Mayor Sadiq Khan wrote, “I believe that London can provide a stable, proportionate, and pro-innovation environment in which this kind of AI can flourish,” positioning the UK capital as a potential base for the company’s growth.The outreach comes as the UK Prime Minister explores proposals that could include expanding Anthropic’s London office and pursuing a dual listing. The plans are expected to be presented to Amodei during his visit to the UK in late May, where he is scheduled to meet policymakers and customers.Efforts have intensified recently after the Pentagon labeled Anthropic a supply-chain risk, adding pressure on the company’s relationship with US authorities. The situation has also drawn political attention, with US President Donald Trump criticising the company following its stance on limiting the use of its technology in military applications.The UK government’s move reflects an attempt to position the country as an alternative hub for AI development, seeking to attract investment and talent while offering regulatory stability for companies navigating geopolitical tensions.
How Anthropic expansion in UK help with the countries ‘AI sovereignty’
The UK’s outreach to Anthropic is part of a wider effort by European governments to build “sovereign” AI capabilities and reduce dependence on US and other overseas technology providers.Last month, the UK outlined plans for a £40mn state-backed research lab focused on “blue-sky” AI work, aiming to draw on the country’s research base and scientific community across sectors such as healthcare, transport and science. Officials have acknowledged the absence of a domestic rival to leading US AI labs and are pursuing partnerships with those companies.Anthropic currently has around 200 employees in the UK, including about 60 researchers. Last year, the company appointed the UK’s former prime minister Rishi Sunak as a senior adviser. Rivals like OpenAI have also committed to expanding their London presence, while Google has continued to invest in the city following its 2014 acquisition of DeepMind, including a large campus project at King’s Cross.The UK’s push comes as Anthropic prepares for a potential initial public offering as early as this year. One person familiar with the UK government’s plans told the FT that “the dream” would be to persuade the company to pursue a dual listing in the UK and the US, though they added that this outcome remains unlikely.Another UK government figure added, “We are in regular dialogue with them as you’d expect,” and that discussions were “building on” a memorandum of understanding which was signed last year to collaborate on scientific progress and secure AI supply chains.UK business secretary Peter Kyle said Anthropic was among several companies the government is engaging with to encourage further investment. “I set up the Global Talent Taskforce to assertively get out there and sell all the benefits of investing, innovating and scaling in the UK. We are in touch with a great many companies from a very wide range of high-growth sectors worldwide. It’s wrong to say it’s about listing, it’s about talent,” he said.
