Aug 27 (Reuters) - Anthropic said on Wednesday it had

detected and blocked hackers attempting to misuse its Claude AI

system to write phishing emails, create malicious code and

circumvent safety filters.

The company's findings, published in a report, highlight

growing concerns that AI tools are increasingly exploited in

cybercrime, intensifying calls for tech firms and regulators to

strengthen safeguards as the technology spreads.

Anthropic's report said its internal systems had stopped the

attacks and it was sharing the case studies - showing how

attackers had attempted to use Claude to produce harmful content

- to help others understand the risks.

The report cited attempts to use Claude to draft tailored

phishing emails, write or fix snippets of malicious code and

sidestep safeguards through repeated prompting.

It also described efforts to script influence campaigns by

generating persuasive posts at scale and helping low-skill

hackers with step-by-step instructions.

The company, backed by Amazon.com ( AMZN ) and Alphabet

, did not publish technical indicators such as IPs or

prompts, but said it had banned the accounts involved and

tightened its filters after detecting the activity.

Experts say criminals are increasingly turning to AI to make

scams more convincing and to speed up hacking attempts. These

tools can help write realistic phishing messages, automate parts

of malware development and even potentially assist in planning

attacks.

Security researchers warn that as AI models become more

powerful, the risk of misuse will grow unless companies and

governments act quickly.

Anthropic said it follows strict safety practices, including

regular testing and outside reviews, and plans to keep

publishing reports when it finds major threats.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) and SoftBank-backed OpenAI and

Google have faced similar scrutiny over fears their AI models

could be exploited for hacking or scams, prompting calls for

stronger safeguards.

Governments are also moving to regulate the technology, with

the European Union moving forward with its Artificial

Intelligence Act and the United States pushing for voluntary

safety commitments from major developers.