US: Pentagon labels AI company Anthropic a supply chain risk

US: Pentagon Labels AI Firm Anthropic as Supply Chain Risk

The Trump administration has marked the artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a potential threat to the U.S. supply chain. This designation, announced on Thursday, requires government contractors to cease utilizing Anthropic’s AI chatbot, Claude, in military operations. The Pentagon emphasized in a statement that it “informed Anthropic leadership that the company and its technologies pose a supply chain risk, effective right away.”

CEO Dario Amodei responded with a statement, asserting that the action is not legally justified and that the company intends to contest it in court. “We have no option but to challenge this in legal proceedings,” he said. However, Amodei clarified that firms may still apply Anthropic’s AI in non-defense-related projects.

“This has been about one fundamental principle: the military being able to use technology for all lawful purposes,” stated the Pentagon. “We will not permit a vendor to interfere with the chain of command by limiting critical capabilities and endangering our warfighters.”

The move follows a months-long disagreement over the restrictions embedded in Claude. These limitations, which curtail its application in war-gaming scenarios, have been a focal point of contention between the company and the Pentagon. Despite Anthropic’s early efforts to gain favor with national security officials, the dispute has persisted over how the military can leverage the technology on the battlefield.

Amodei noted that discussions had occurred regarding Claude’s potential utility in military contexts without dismantling its safeguards. Yet, Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael tweeted that there are no ongoing negotiations with Anthropic. The decision, he said, is rooted in the Pentagon’s insistence on unimpeded access to technology for all authorized purposes.

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously criticized Anthropic a week prior, citing concerns about national security. The Pentagon’s latest action aligns with their stance, emphasizing the need for full control over AI systems used in military operations.