Anthropic leaves tech group over chip export legislation

Anthropic has ended its membership in the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) over its opposition to legislation aimed at restricting foreign access to U.S. chips. The move comes as ITI urged lawmakers to remove three export-control bills from the annual defense policy bill. Anthropic supports these bills and is breaking away from the tech industry, citing national security concerns. The AI OVERWATCH Act, one of the bills, would require the Commerce Department to notify Congress and allow for a review period before approving export licenses for sensitive dual-use chips to adversarial nations. This marks another instance where Anthropic has diverged from its industry peers on key policy issues. The Senate is set to resume debate on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on September 14, 2026, following its summer recess. The bills have received backing from conservative groups like Heritage Action and American Compass, along with bipartisan support. Anthropic’s decision highlights the growing divide within the tech sector over U.S. export controls and national security policies. As the NDAA moves forward, the outcome of these legislative efforts will have significant implications for global chip trade and international relations.