ChatGPT rival Claude hit by restrictions after surge in new users

TechnologyDigital
27 Mar 2026 • 11:39 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude, is implementing new rate limits for its users due to a surge in demand.
  • The increased popularity follows a high-profile dispute where Anthropic refused to allow the US Department of War to use its AI for domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons, leading to public backing.
  • This refusal resulted in Anthropic being blacklisted by federal agencies, but also saw Claude overtake ChatGPT in app charts earlier this month.
  • The restrictions are designed to prevent the chatbot from crashing or slowing down during peak hours, following a series of outages this month.
  • Anthropic estimates that these new limits will only affect approximately 7 per cent of its current user base, primarily heavy users.

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