Anthropic directs staff to work from home amid potential security strike

Anthropic instructed its San Francisco office staff to work from home on Monday and Tuesday following a warning from its security contractor, Allied Universal, regarding a potential walkout by security guards.

Despite the warning from the contractor, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents the security workers, stated it has not authorized or threatened a strike for this week. The union has been engaged in contract negotiations with Allied Universal and other California security firms since April, seeking improved wages, healthcare benefits, and training.

The incident occurs amid heightened security concerns within the AI industry, following reports of threats against employees at companies like Anthropic and OpenAI. Additionally, Anthropic is reportedly preparing for a potential initial public offering, with some reports suggesting a valuation of approximately $1.5 trillion.