MCMC denies involvement in activities described in Anthropic report

 

MCMC said it was examining the report and would seek further information and clarification from relevant parties to establish the facts and assess the matters raised. REUTERS PIC

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has denied involvement in activities or arrangements described in a recent report by artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic.

In a statement, MCMC said it was aware of the report and took the matters raised seriously.

"For clarity, activities of the nature described in the report do not form part of MCMC's functions or mandate, and MCMC does not engage in such activities or arrangements."

Anthropic reported that Malaysia had been targeted in an AI-driven commercial manipulation operation involving more than 1,000 fake X accounts, voter data and constituency-based targeting systems aimed at influencing political sentiment.

The company, which operates the Claude AI platform, said it uncovered the operation after identifying an account that had used its platform for election manipulation targeting Malaysian users.

According to Anthropic's report, Detecting and Countering Misuse of AI: September 2026, the platform was linked to an Istanbul-based technology company offering "influence-as-a-service" capabilities.

MCMC said it was examining the report and would seek further information and clarification from relevant parties to establish the facts and assess the matters raised.

It said any further action would be determined based on the information and evidence available and within its remit, in coordination with relevant authorities where necessary.

The commission said protecting the public and addressing online harms remained central to its responsibilities.

"MCMC will continue to preserve and ensure a safe and trusted online environment for Malaysia," it said. - NST