Frontier AI models are no longer merely helping engineers write code faster or automate routine tasks. They are increasingly capable of spotting their mistakes.
Anthropic says the “results show that language models can add real value on top of existing discovery tools,” but acknowledged that the capabilities are also inherently “dual use.”
The same capabilities that help companies find and fix security flaws can just as easily be weaponized by attackers to discover and exploit the vulnerabilities before defenders can find them. An AI model that can autonomously identify zero-day exploits in widely used software could accelerate both sides of the cybersecurity arms race—potentially tipping the advantage toward whoever acts fastest.
To manage some of the risk, Anthropic is deploying new detection systems that monitor Claude’s internal activity as it generates responses, using what the company calls “probes” to flag potential misuse in real time. The company says it’s also expanding its enforcement capabilities, including the ability to block traffic identified as malicious. Anthropic acknowledges this approach will create friction for legitimate security researchers and defensive work, and has committed to collaborating with the security community to address those challenges. The safeguards, the company says, represent “a meaningful step forward” in detecting and responding to misuse quickly, though the work is ongoing.
