Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup supported by Amazon, has started rolling out its generative AI assistant Claude in Europe. The assistant will be accessible to both individuals and businesses through the web and an iPhone app.
Anthropic's Claude assistant supports multiple European languages, enhancing its accessibility and usability across the continent. This multilingual capability is expected to be a significant advantage as the company expands its footprint in the European market.
A subscription-based version, Claude Pro, will be available for users seeking access to all its models, including the advanced Claude 3 Opus. The subscription is priced at €18 per month plus VAT. Additionally, Anthropic is introducing Claude Team, a business-focused plan costing €28 per user per month, with a minimum of five seats required.
Commitment to Accuracy and Privacy
“We've designed Claude with a strong commitment to accuracy, security, and privacy,” said Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, in a statement previously. The AI assistant is fluent in multiple European languages, including French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
The launch comes as AI technology is rapidly advancing, raising concerns about its impact on jobs and privacy. Earlier this year, the European Union Parliament passed the AI Act, the world's first major regulatory framework for AI. The Act aims to categorize AI technologies based on their risk levels, ranging from low to unacceptable.
Claude.ai and the Claude iOS app are already available for free in the UK. This marks the first time the product is launching for users in the EU and non-EU countries such as Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland. The Claude app is available for download in the Apple App Store.
The release follows the earlier launch of the Claude API in Europe, which allows developers to integrate Anthropic's AI models into their own applications, websites, or services. This move aims to broaden the accessibility and utility of Claude's AI capabilities.
Investment and Market Valuation
Anthropic has quickly gained traction in the generative AI market, with a valuation of $18.4 billion as of March. Amazon announced a $2.75 billion investment in the startup that month, bringing its total investment to $4 billion. However, this partnership has raised concerns among regulators about the potential for reduced competition.
In the United Kingdom, regulators are examining whether Amazon's investment in Anthropic, along with Microsoft's deals with OpenAI firms, could be considered effective mergers that might lessen competition. Amazon maintains that its partnership with Anthropic is a limited corporate investment, not a merger. Microsoft similarly denies that its agreements with AI startups like OpenAI and Mistral, or its hiring from Inflection, equate to merging.
