Pentagon Gives Anthropic Friday Ultimatum Over AI Use
Pete Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to accept Pentagon terms by Friday or face the Defense Production Act and supply-chain sanctions.
SemaforExclusive: Pentagonâs Anthropic feud deepened after tense exchange over missile attacks
The GuardianUS military leaders pressure Anthropic to bend Claude safeguards
FOX NewsPentagon gives AI firm ultimatum: lift military limits by Friday or lose $200M deal
BBC NewsUS threatens Anthropic with deadline in dispute on AI safeguards
Overview
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Tuesday to accept Pentagon terms by Friday evening or face the Defense Production Act and being labeled a 'supply chain risk,' officials said.
The dispute centers on Anthropic's refusal to allow its Claude model to be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, while Pentagon officials said they need models available for 'all lawful uses.'
A senior Pentagon official said an early December exchange over missile defense deepened the rift, and Anthropic denied that account while saying it would enable missile-defense uses, company spokespeople said.
Anthropic was one of four firms awarded Pentagon contracts worth up to $200 million each and was the first company cleared for classified military use, Pentagon officials and company statements said.
A senior Pentagon official said the department would invoke the Defense Production Act and label Anthropic a 'supply chain risk' if it refuses to agree, while reports say Anthropic plans to hold its restrictions.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the dispute as a clash between administration coercion and corporate ethics, emphasizing threats ("blacklist," "cancel," "force") and legal levers (Defense Production Act) while foregrounding Anthropic's restraint and expert pushback on the "woke AI" label. Language and source emphasis make the government's actions appear punitive and heavy-handed.
FAQ
Anthropic refuses to allow its Claude model to be used for mass domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens or fully autonomous weapons systems.
The Pentagon has threatened to invoke the Defense Production Act, label Anthropic a 'supply chain risk,' and terminate its up to $200 million contract.
Anthropic was one of four firms awarded Pentagon contracts worth up to $200 million each and was the first company cleared for classified military use, with Claude integrated into classified networks.
The dispute escalated after Anthropic inquired about the use of Claude in a January military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and earlier exchanges over missile defense.
