Anthropic Responsible Scaling Policy

This document is Anthropic's internal policy for deciding when its AI systems are safe enough to keep developing and deploying. It sets specific capability thresholds that trigger safety requirements — including around weapons of mass destruction — and requires Anthropic to document and review risks at each stage. Anthropic also retains the right to pause AI development at any point it judges necessary, even when the policy does not formally require it.

The Anthropic Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP) establishes a structured framework of capability thresholds, safeguard requirements, and internal governance obligations that govern how Anthropic develops and deploys its AI systems. The policy defines specific capability thresholds — including for automated R&D, novel chemical and biological weapons production, and CBRN state-program uplift — at which mandatory safeguard and disclosure obligations activate. It imposes affirmative documentation requirements, including Risk Reports quantifying risk across all deployed models and, at the AI R&D-4 threshold, a formal misalignment risk case. Internal governance mechanisms include multi-party authorization for production code access to model weights, a minimum internal disclosure audience of 200 employees for risk reports, LTBT authority over external review of Risk Reports, and a named Noncompliance Reporting and Anti-Retaliation Policy. Anthropic retains authority to pause AI system development in any circumstances it deems appropriate, independent of RSP-mandated thresholds.

As an internal governance document, this policy does not create direct rights or obligations for individual users. It establishes Anthropic's own obligations: to assess and document AI risks across all deployed models, to implement structural safeguards against misuse of dangerous capabilities (particularly CBRN-related), and to subject its risk assessments to both internal disclosure and external review. The existence of a named Noncompliance Reporting and Anti-Retaliation Policy means there is a formal internal channel for reporting RSP violations. Individual users have no direct action specified in this document.