Stocks across Europe and beyond took a nosedive on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, as the ripple effects of a major artificial intelligence announcement sent shockwaves through the financial and professional services sectors. The culprit? Anthropic, a rising star in the AI world, unveiled a new tool designed to automate key legal workflows, sparking fresh concerns over the disruptive power of advanced technology in industries long thought to be insulated from automation.
According to Bloomberg, the sudden drop was stark. RELX Plc and Wolters Kluwer NV, both giants in the realm of professional analytics and information services, saw their shares tumble by more than 10% each. Experian Plc, a well-known credit-reporting firm, wasn’t spared either, sliding 7.5%. London Stock Exchange Group Plc, which provides crucial financial data, sank 7%. Even Thomson Reuters Corp., a heavyweight in the U.S. market, dropped 6.4% in premarket trading. The broader picture was equally grim: a UBS Group AG basket of European stocks deemed vulnerable to AI disruption fell a hefty 4.9%.
But what exactly triggered this dramatic selloff? The answer lies in Anthropic’s latest move. On its GitHub page, the company announced a new AI-powered plugin for its agentic desktop application, Claude Cowork. This tool, Anthropic explained, is built to “automate contract review, NDA triage, compliance workflows, legal briefings, and templated responses—all configurable to your organization’s specific playbook and risk tolerances.” The plugin also works with Claude Code, Anthropic’s coding assistant. In other words, Anthropic is offering a system that can handle a significant chunk of the repetitive, labor-intensive work that occupies legal teams in corporations around the world.
Investing.com reported that shares of publishers specializing in professional services were hit hard in Europe following the announcement. Wolters Kluwer’s shares dropped by more than 7% in mid-morning trading, while RELX fell 7.8%. Pearson, another major UK-based publisher, saw its shares dip by 3.2%. The reaction was swift and, for many investors, deeply unsettling.
But there’s more to the story than just numbers on a screen. Anthropic has quickly become a prominent player in the development of high-end AI models, and its latest plugin is only one part of a broader push into professional automation. Alongside the legal assistant, the company also unveiled a slew of open-source tools designed for other business functions, including sales and customer support. The message was clear: the AI revolution isn’t coming—it’s already here, and it’s coming for white-collar jobs once thought safe from the robots.
Yet, Anthropic was careful to temper expectations and address concerns about the limits of its technology. The company emphasized that its plugin is meant to assist with legal workflows, not to replace human lawyers entirely. “AI-generated analysis should be reviewed by licensed attorneys before being relied upon for legal decisions,” Anthropic stated, adding that the tool “does not provide legal advice.” The company urged organizations to verify conclusions with qualified legal professionals, underscoring that the AI is a helper, not a substitute for human expertise.
Still, the market’s reaction suggests that investors see the writing on the wall. The prospect of automation eating into the core business of information providers, analytics firms, and professional service publishers is enough to send shivers down the spines of shareholders. After all, much of the value these companies provide is rooted in their ability to process, analyze, and deliver complex information—a task that, increasingly, sophisticated AI can handle with startling efficiency.
Bloomberg’s coverage highlighted the scale of the selloff, noting that the UBS Group AG’s basket of stocks vulnerable to AI disruption fell nearly 5% in a single day. That’s not just a blip—it’s a clear sign that the market is starting to price in the potential for AI to fundamentally reshape the landscape for data-driven businesses.
For firms like RELX, Wolters Kluwer, and Pearson, the challenge is twofold. On one hand, they must contend with the immediate financial fallout of a market spooked by technological upheaval. On the other, there’s the longer-term question of how to adapt and thrive in a world where AI can automate many of the tasks that once required teams of skilled professionals. Will these companies double down on their own AI investments, seeking to stay ahead of the curve? Or will they struggle to keep pace with nimble startups and tech giants racing to capture the future of work?
It’s a dilemma that echoes across the professional landscape. As Anthropic’s new tools demonstrate, the capabilities of AI are growing at a breakneck pace. Automating contract review, compliance checks, and legal briefings is no longer a distant dream—it’s a present-day reality. And while Anthropic is careful to position its product as a complement to human expertise, the broader implications are hard to ignore.
From a regulatory perspective, the rise of AI in legal and professional services raises thorny questions. How should organizations balance the efficiency gains of automation with the need for accuracy, accountability, and ethical oversight? What safeguards are necessary to ensure that AI-generated analysis doesn’t lead to costly mistakes or legal liability? Anthropic’s insistence that its tool is not a replacement for legal advice is prudent, but as the technology improves, the temptation to rely more heavily on automated solutions will only grow.
Meanwhile, the competitive landscape is shifting. Companies that can harness AI to streamline their operations and reduce costs may gain a decisive edge over slower-moving rivals. But those that fail to adapt risk being left behind—a prospect that, judging by Tuesday’s market reaction, is already weighing heavily on investors’ minds.
Of course, not everyone is convinced that AI will sweep all before it. Some industry veterans argue that the nuanced judgment and deep expertise required in fields like law and analytics will always require a human touch. But as Anthropic and its peers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, the line between human and machine labor is becoming increasingly blurry.
As the dust settles from Tuesday’s selloff, one thing is clear: the debate over AI’s role in the professional world is far from settled. For now, companies and investors alike are grappling with a new reality—one where the future of work is being rewritten in real time, and where the only certainty is change.