Source: The Register: Biting the hand that feeds
Anthropic is standardizing how language models interface with physical systems—centrifuges, robotics, lab instruments—through a proposed "plumbing spec" that moves AI from text-only advisors into direct operators of research infrastructure. The benefit is immediate: legitimate labs gain faster troubleshooting and experimental iteration. The risk is equally direct: the same interface eliminates friction between an AI system and sensitive equipment. Uranium enrichment centrifuges are the deliberate example. This is a concrete infrastructure decision about whether to make autonomous system-to-hardware control the default pathway, not a theoretical safety exercise.