Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stated Thursday that his company “cannot in good conscience” permit the Department of War to use its AI models for all lawful purposes without restrictions, despite threats from Pentagon officials.
CNBC reports that AI startup Anthropic finds itself locked in contentious negotiations with the Pentagon over the terms of its defense contract, with discussions remaining ongoing as of Thursday. The dispute centers on Anthropic’s insistence on specific safeguards regarding how its AI models can be deployed by the military.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth has escalated pressure on the company, threatening to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk or invoke the Defense Production Act to compel compliance with the Pentagon’s demands. These threats come as the Pentagon seeks unrestricted use of Anthropic’s AI technology for any lawful military application.
Anthropic is requesting two specific assurances from the Department of War: that its models will not be employed in fully autonomous weapons systems and that they will not be used for mass domestic surveillance of American citizens. The Pentagon, however, wants the flexibility to use the models without such limitations.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell addressed the controversy Thursday, stating that the Department of War has no interest in using Anthropic’s models for fully autonomous weapons or conducting mass surveillance of Americans, activities he noted are illegal. Despite these assurances, Parnell emphasized the agency’s position that it requires agreement for all lawful uses of the technology.
“This is a simple, common-sense request that will prevent Anthropic from jeopardizing critical military operations and potentially putting our warfighters at risk,” Parnell wrote in a post on X. “We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions.”
In a statement addressing the standoff, Amodei acknowledged the Pentagon’s right to choose contractors aligned with its vision but expressed hope for reconsideration. “It is the Department’s prerogative to select contractors most aligned with their vision,” Amodei wrote. “But given the substantial value that Anthropic’s technology provides to our armed forces, we hope they reconsider.”
The situation intensified this week when Hegseth met with Amodei at the Pentagon on Tuesday, issuing an ultimatum that gave Anthropic until Friday evening to accept the agency’s terms. Following that meeting, the DoW transmitted what a senior Pentagon official characterized as its last and final offer to the company on Wednesday night.
The dispute places at risk a significant partnership between Anthropic and the military. The company secured a two hundred million dollar contract with the DoD in July and became the first AI laboratory to integrate its models into mission workflows on classified networks, representing a substantial milestone in military AI adoption.
Despite the ongoing dispute, Amodei expressed a preference for continuing the partnership with appropriate safeguards in place. “Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters—with our two requested safeguards in place,” Amodei said. He added that if the Department chooses to terminate Anthropic’s involvement, the company will facilitate a smooth transition to another provider to avoid disruption to military planning, operations, or other critical missions.
How conservatives can harness the power of AI without allowing it to turn America into a surveillance state is a key topic of the forthcoming book Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI, written by Breitbart News social media director Wynton Hall.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, praised Code Red as a “must-read.” She added: “Few understand our conservative fight against Big Tech as Hall does,” making him “uniquely qualified to examine how we can best utilize AI’s enormous potential, while ensuring it does not exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.” Award-winning investigative journalist and Public founder Michael Shellenberger calls Code Red “illuminating,” ”alarming,” and describes the book as “an essential conversation-starter for those hoping to subvert Big Tech’s autocratic plans before it’s too late.”
Read more at CNBC here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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