Anthropic has refused the Pentagon’s request to broaden military use of its AI system, citing ethical concerns over surveillance and autonomous weapons.
Anthropic has rejected the Pentagon’s latest proposal to amend its $200 million contract, saying the changes fail to address concerns about potential misuse of artificial intelligence. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that refusal to allow use of its Claude model “for all lawful purposes” could lead to contract cancellation.
In a blog post, CEO Dario Amodei wrote: “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies.” However, he added that some applications, including mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, are “outside the bounds of what today’s technology can safely and reliably do.”
Responding to criticism, Amodei said, “we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” Pentagon official Emil Michael accused him of risking national safety, while Anthropic staff publicly backed the company’s stance, calling it a visible example of standing by its values.
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