Anthropic CEO Pushes Back After Pentagon Bars Military Use of AI Models

The U.S. Department of Defense has prohibited contractors from using products developed by Anthropic, designating the firm as a “supply chain risk” to national security. The directive bars defense contractors and partners from conducting commercial activity with the company in connection with military work.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei described on CBS news the move as unprecedented and punitive. He said the company objects specifically to the use of its artificial intelligence models for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons capable of operating without human oversight. According to Amodei, such applications conflict with fundamental civil liberties and the principle of human decision-making in warfare.

OpenAI Secures Defense Contract Amid Policy Dispute

The policy shift follows remarks from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming the restriction. Shortly afterward, rival firm OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, accepted a contract to deploy AI models across Defense Department networks.

Amodei emphasized that while AI could eventually support military systems, the technology is not yet reliable enough for fully autonomous deployment. He also urged Congress to establish regulatory guardrails governing AI use in surveillance and national security contexts.

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