Anthropic Cracks Down on Claude Access Loopholes, Blocks xAI and Forces Users to Expensive Official Channels
Summary
Anthropic blocks xAI from accessing Claude through third-party apps and closes loopholes that allowed users to bypass expensive API pricing, forcing high-volume customers into official commercial channels.
Key Points
- Anthropic implements strict technical safeguards to prevent third-party applications from spoofing Claude Code to access AI models at consumer subscription rates instead of expensive API pricing
- The company simultaneously blocks rival AI lab xAI from using Claude models through Cursor IDE, citing terms of service violations that prohibit using the service to build competing products
- The crackdown forces high-volume users toward official channels - either the metered Commercial API or managed Claude Code environment - ending the era of unrestricted access to Claude's capabilities