Anthropic has launched its first Washington, DC office this spring as part of a major expansion of its Public Policy team, just days after filing a lawsuit against the US government. The company is challenging the Defense Department's designation of it as a supply chain risk, a move that could force federal agencies to resume using its AI systems following President Trump's order to drop them. This strategic move positions Anthropic to influence AI policy while navigating a significant legal battle with the Pentagon. Anthropic Institute will spearhead this effort, aiming to shape the future of AI regulation and understanding its societal impacts.

Anthropic is tripling its Public Policy team to establish the new DC presence, aligning with a broader trend of AI firms lobbying in Washington. Sarah Heck, previously Head of External Affairs, now leads Policy, succeeding co-founder Jack Clark. Matt Botvinick and Zoë Hitzig have been hired as founding members of the Anthropic Institute, bringing expertise from Google DeepMind and OpenAI respectively. The institute will integrate and expand Anthropic's existing research teams focused on AI security, societal impacts, and economic effects.

The institute's mandate is to "tell the world" what Anthropic learns about the challenges posed by advanced AI systems, including how they reshape jobs, economies, and amplify threats. This initiative comes as Anthropic seeks to rebuild its relationship with the US government while proactively shaping the regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence.