[DigitalToday reporter Chi-kyu Hwang] Anthropic's AI service Claude is rapidly increasing paid subscribers in the U.S. consumer market. An analysis says its Super Bowl ad and a dispute with the Pentagon instead helped raise consumer awareness.

On March 28 local time, TechCrunch reported that consumer transaction analytics firm Indagari analysed anonymised credit-card transaction data from about 28 million U.S. consumers and found Claude's paid subscribers hit a record high this year. An Anthropic spokesperson also confirmed to TechCrunch that paid subscribers have more than doubled this year.

The increase in new subscriptions was particularly pronounced between January and February. Indagari said existing users' re-subscriptions also hit a record high in February. Early March data also show the subscriber growth trend continuing.

Most new subscribers are on the 'Pro' plan, a basic paid plan that costs $20 a month.

An analysis says the sharp rise in Claude paid subscriptions is the result of several factors coming together.

In its Super Bowl ad, Anthropic criticised the decision to introduce ads for ChatGPT and declared it would not attach ads to Claude. The ad became a talking point among consumers, and there were reports it also provoked OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Its dispute with the Pentagon also appears to have had a positive impact.

Anthropic refused to allow the Pentagon to use its AI for autonomous lethal operations or mass surveillance of U.S. citizens. The Pentagon then pressured Anthropic by saying it would designate the company as a supply-chain risk firm. The two sides are currently in litigation, and a federal court this week temporarily blocked the Pentagon's designation decision.

TechCrunch said the increase in Claude subscriptions was greatest from just after a flood of reports in late January on the standoff between the Pentagon and Anthropic to Feb. 26, when a statement by CEO Amodei was released.

On the product side, the productivity tool Claude Cowork and developer tool Claude Code, launched in January, helped drive subscription growth. Anthropic said the Computer Use feature unveiled this week also spurred the subscriber surge. The feature lets Claude carry out computer actions such as clicking and scrolling on its own, and is available only to paid subscribers.

Indagari's data do not include enterprise customer contracts or free users. Estimates of Claude's total number of consumer users vary widely, from 18 million to 30 million, and Anthropic does not disclose official figures.