Anthropic builds San Francisco biology lab where Claude guides robots

Anthropic's lab plans rest on two tools it has already shipped: Claude Science, an AI workspace built for researchers, and the Model Hardware Standard for controlling lab equipment. Together they are meant to let Claude guide robots through experiments, though the company says human oversight is still required for safety.

Eric Kauderer-Abrams, who runs Anthropic's life sciences division, points to diseases long considered "undruggable" because no treatment exists, and says AI could speed up the design of complex antibodies that hit multiple targets at once. That framing sets out the scientific bet behind the physical lab, rather than just the computing angle.

The move follows April moves: the acquisition of Coefficient Bio for about $400 million and the addition of Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to its board. Anthropic won't run its own clinical trials for now, according to the report, so the test is likely whether its robots-and-Claude setup can generate useful experimental results that partner pharma companies are willing to carry forward.