Anthropic has launched its Madrid office and named Cristina Pitarch as head of Spanish operations. The company is urging a pause in AI development to address security risks. Major Spanish firms are already using its Claude assistant.
Anthropic has picked Madrid for its new European base, moving into Spain just as debate grows over how fast AI should advance. The company, led by Dario Amodei, is expanding in Europe while also calling for a pause in AI development to let safety measures catch up. Amodei told AP News and The Guardian that "pacing does not mean halting model training," but rather making sure safety keeps pace with rapid progress.
Cristina Pitarch, who has worked in cybersecurity roles at Salesforce, Informatica, and most recently as general manager of Google Cloud Security for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, now leads Anthropic’s Spanish operations. Her job is to build a lasting presence in Madrid and make it a key hub for Spain and Spanish-speaking markets.
Anthropic became the first major AI company to grant permanent employee-level access to external evaluators for ongoing safety monitoring and incident reporting.
The Madrid launch comes as Anthropic prepares for a possible stock market debut. At the same time, leading AI firms, including Anthropic, are publicly urging a slowdown in development because of the risks that come with fast-growing AI capabilities, especially in cybersecurity. Pitarch says Anthropic is committed to this cautious approach, no matter what competitors do. The company plans to open its models to external evaluators, including employees, to check safety and report problems. This is part of a three-step plan described by CNBC: embed evaluators, set common safety standards in democratic countries, and coordinate internationally.
Spain’s interest in AI is strong. Anthropic’s internal data shows AI use in Spain is 2.7 times higher than expected for its population, ahead of Germany and just behind Portugal. Large Spanish companies like Santander, CaixaBank, BBVA, Telefónica, Konecta, Amadeus, Indra, and Ferrovial already use Anthropic’s Claude assistant. The company wants to help businesses move from pilot projects to full-scale use, working with both big firms and smaller companies.
The Madrid office is more than a sales branch. The local team brings together commercial, advisory, and technical skills, aiming to partner with institutions, research centers, and start-ups. Anthropic is also investing in local talent, working with ISDI Business School on the Claude Ambassadors initiative, which brings creators together to shape the tool’s future. A recent event in Madrid drew over 350 people.
Anthropic's call for a slowdown in AI development has received support from several prominent technology leaders, indicating that the debate over responsible AI growth now extends well beyond a single company. The company's financial position remains robust, with reports of preparations for a potential IPO making its European expansion particularly noteworthy.
For Spanish organizations, the focus is on practical results: improving productivity, supporting teams, and getting real outcomes. Pitarch says Claude is used in high-stakes projects in banking, infrastructure, and travel, with a strong focus on human oversight and security. She argues that Spanish companies need AI systems that are proven safe. According to Pitarch, Claude helps cybersecurity teams find vulnerabilities faster, with detection times dropping since its rollout. The threat landscape is changing as malicious actors also use AI.
The effect on software development is clear. In less than two years, AI has gone from simple chatbots to agent-based systems. Claude now writes over 80% of the code produced, up from single-digit percentages at the start of 2025. Engineering teams are publishing eight times more code than in 2024, showing how quickly things are changing.
Regulation is still a challenge. Pitarch calls for clear, workable rules and wants democratic and authoritarian governments to coordinate on global standards. She believes that innovation in regulation is as important as technical progress, and that simple, enforceable rules are needed to avoid a race to the bottom on price and safety.
Anthropic’s decision to invest in Spain highlights the country’s growing role in European AI. The company’s focus on security, transparency, and collaboration sets a standard for responsible AI use. As the sector faces uncertainty and regulatory gaps, Anthropic’s Madrid launch points to a more measured, accountable approach. This could be important for Spain’s digital economy, especially as the country pushes ahead in areas like genomics and other high-tech fields. The next phase will show whether this security-first model can deliver both innovation and trust in a fast-changing market.
