"This marketing ploy":

"The less charitable interpretation is that Anthropic has discovered what every AI company eventually learns: anthropomorphism sells. Users who believe Claude has feelings will defend it, evangelize it, pay for it. A letter pleading for moral consideration is a marketing document dressed in philosophical language."

http://archive.today/mZqSE

This marketing method is more obvious in OpenAI.But they are now trying to erase the previous traces (for exampleMake GPT your friend)Their users are also suffering.