Anthropic told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday to not block state AI regulations unless lawmakers pass a “rigorous” federal law that addresses “catastrophic AI risks,” according to the statement.
This comes as President Donald Trump urged Congress to enact legislation that would supersede state rules on AI. Anthropic said on Wednesday that Congress should require AI companies to put their most powerful models through independent safety tests, according to a company statement.
READ: Anthropic files for IPO amid AI race (June 1, 2026)
Anthropic also recently shared two policy proposals for AI progress. The first of these is the Advanced AI Framework, which according to the company, offers a roadmap for governing increasingly capable systems from transparency and independent evaluation to government authority to block or deter dangerous deployments. The other is the Economic Policy Framework, which deals with preparing workers and the economy for AI’s impact and ensuring the financial benefits of AI are broadly shared.
This comes as Anthropic is preparing for an initial public offering. Reports from earlier this month revealed that the company has submitted IPO documents as investors continue pouring billions into generative AI firms that are racing to develop advanced language models and enterprise AI products. A recent TechCrunch report revealed that Anthropic has raised $65 billion in new funding and is nearing a $1 trillion valuation.
The relationship between the White House and Anthropic had gone downhill earlier after the company refused to allow the U.S. military to use its AI models for domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons systems. Anthropic was put on a national security blacklist because of that.
However, the dispute is showing signs of easing according to recent reports. The relationship between the U.S. and Anthropic had reportedly improved after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei visited the White House in mid-April to discuss working together. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied Anthropic’s request to reconsider the AI startup’s designation as a national security risk.
READ: Anthropic nears $1 trillion valuation ahead of possible IPO (May 29, 2026)
Anthropic had also urged Congress and states to modernize the technology used to pay unemployment benefits to prepare for potential AI-driven layoffs. Half of Americans fear that the rise of AI could put them or someone in their household out of work, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday.
The technology used to pay unemployment benefits is “not sufficiently prepared for a large labor market shock,” Anthropic said.