Key Points
- Anthropic releases an updated 80‑page Claude Constitution.
- Four core values guide the chatbot: safety, ethics, compliance, and helpfulness.
- Safety guidelines direct Claude to refer users to emergency services when needed.
- Ethical guidance focuses on real‑world moral decision making.
- Specific constraints prohibit discussions about bioweapon development.
- Helpfulness balances immediate user desires with long‑term well‑being.
- The document ends by acknowledging uncertainty about Claude’s moral status.
Anthropic Introduces Revised Claude Constitution
Anthropic announced a new version of Claude’s Constitution, a living document that explains the context in which its chatbot operates and the kind of entity the company aims for Claude to become. The revised guide, spanning 80 pages, was released alongside CEO Dario Amodei’s appearance at a major global forum.
Core Values and Structure
The Constitution is organized into four separate parts that represent Claude’s core values: being broadly safe, being broadly ethical, complying with Anthropic’s guidelines, and being genuinely helpful. Each section delves into what the principle means and how it should influence Claude’s behavior.
Safety and User Protection
In the safety portion, Anthropic emphasizes that Claude is designed to avoid problems that have plagued other chatbots. When evidence of mental‑health issues arises, the model is instructed to direct users to appropriate services and, in situations involving risk to human life, to refer users to relevant emergency resources.
Ethical Practice
The ethical section focuses on Claude’s ability to act ethically in real‑world contexts rather than merely theorizing about ethics. Anthropic wants the chatbot to navigate complex moral situations skillfully, guided by the principles outlined in the Constitution.
Compliance and Constraints
The document lists specific conversational constraints, including a strict prohibition on discussions about developing bioweapons. These limits are intended to ensure Claude remains within acceptable boundaries of conduct.
Commitment to Helpfulness
Claude’s helpfulness is framed around balancing immediate user desires with long‑term well‑being. The model is instructed to identify the most plausible interpretation of user intent and to weigh short‑term interests against the user’s broader flourishing.
Questioning AI Moral Status
At the conclusion of the Constitution, Anthropic acknowledges that Claude’s moral status is deeply uncertain. The document notes that the question of AI consciousness is taken seriously by leading philosophers, suggesting that the company views the issue as a significant ethical consideration.
Source: techcrunch.com