Pentagon, Anthropic Deal Stalled Over Weapons AI Limits

(MENAFN) Anthropic and the US Department of War are locked in a high-stakes confrontation over AI usage restrictions that could determine whether military forces gain unfettered access to autonomous weapons targeting and domestic surveillance capabilities.

The standoff has frozen a contract potentially worth $200 million, with Pentagon brass demanding the San Francisco-based AI developer remove safeguards they view as unacceptable constraints on battlefield deployment, media reported, citing six sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

Anthropic has voiced alarm that its AI systems could enable lethal strikes lacking adequate human control or facilitate warrantless monitoring of American citizens, sources told media.

Defense officials counter that commercially developed AI platforms should be available for military applications without regard to corporate ethics policies, provided operations remain within legal boundaries.

The clash erupts as the Trump administration accelerates efforts to saturate the armed forces with artificial intelligence technology. The Department of War unveiled an ambitious blueprint this month designed to remake the US military into an "AI-first" combat organization.

Pentagon leadership insists on unrestricted authority over AI tool deployment in combat zones and intelligence gathering, with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledging to reject models that "won't allow you to fight wars."

An Anthropic spokesperson confirmed the company's AI is "extensively used for national security missions by the US government" and that it remains in "productive discussions with the Department of War about ways to continue that work." The Pentagon declined to address the reported impasse.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has persistently cautioned against unrestricted AI adoption, especially for mass surveillance infrastructure and fully autonomous weapon platforms. In a recent published essay, he contended that it should support national defense "in all ways except those which would make us more like our autocratic adversaries."

The dispute carries significant stakes for Anthropic, which has aggressively pursued government and national-security partnerships while positioning itself for a prospective public market debut. The company secured a Pentagon contract last year alongside OpenAI, Google, and Elon Musk's xAI.

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