A 154-page report from Anthropic, the American tech company behind the AI assistant Claude, has raised concerns about the tool being repurposed for disinformation and surveillance in several countries. The report highlights what it calls "the most notable and innovative threatening activities identified to date," suggesting that over the past eight months, multiple nations have reportedly used Claude for influence operations, surveillance, or fraud. The targets have included "democracy-supporting leaders and opposition groups," according to The Globe and Mail. The report underscores the growing risks of AI tools being misused for malicious purposes, even as they are developed for beneficial uses like customer service or content creation. In Mali, a consultant working with the country's state intelligence services reportedly used Claude as the "primary engineering force" to set up a mass surveillance system. This system allegedly spied on millions of people using 25 million mobile phone SIM cards, violating Malian laws and bypassing the country’s legal and judicial systems. The AI assistant was particularly focused on users who had downloaded the WhatsApp messaging app and a virtual private network (VPN), which is used to mask online activity. By analyzing this data, the system reportedly generated detailed intelligence dossiers on individuals, raising serious concerns about privacy and civil liberties. The report also mentions that the National Agency for ... (the rest of the article requires subscription). However, the details provided so far suggest that the misuse of AI tools like Claude is not limited to a single country or scenario. The findings highlight the urgent need for stronger safeguards and international cooperation to prevent the exploitation of AI for harmful purposes. As AI technology continues to evolve, the potential for both innovation and abuse grows. The Anthropic report serves as a warning that even tools designed to assist and enhance human capabilities can be co-opted for surveillance, manipulation, and control. This raises important questions about the responsibility of tech companies, the need for regulatory oversight, and the role of international bodies in addressing these emerging threats.