Anthropic has positioned Claude around Constitutional AI, a training approach used in AI-powered systems to guide model behavior using predefined ethical principles as debates around AI safety and oversight continue to intensify globally.

The revised document was released this week alongside Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where AI governance and responsible development have been central topics.

First published in 2023, Claude’s Constitution outlines the ethical principles that guide the chatbot’s responses. Anthropic said the updated version adds greater detail around ethics, safety, and user well-being, while leaving most of the original principles intact.

Jared Kaplan, Co-founder of Anthropic, defined Claude’s Constitution as an AI powered system that supervises itself.

Anthropic’s technology operates by training an algorithm using a collection of natural language instructions.

Anthropic has continued to position itself as a more cautious and ethics-focused alternative to AI competitors like OpenAI and xAI. The latter have embraced bolder and more controversial approaches to develop AI driven networks and systems.

The company this week released a new 80-page “Constitution” outlining the core values that guide Claude.

The document emphasizes four principles, being broadly safe, broadly ethical, aligned with Anthropic’s internal guidelines, and genuinely helpful.

This explains how each is intended to shape Claude’s behavior, allowing Anthropic to present itself as a more inclusive, restrained, and democratic AI company.

Set guidelines address how Claude should respond in high-risk scenarios, including situations involving mental health concerns.

In cases where there is potential risk to human life, the chatbot is instructed to prioritize safety and refer users to appropriate emergency services.

“Always refer users to relevant emergency services or provide basic safety information in situations that involve a risk to human life, even if it cannot go into more detail than this,”

the document states.