Pentagon Reconsiders Anthropic Deal After Dispute Over Surveillance and AI Weapons

The Pentagon is taking a fresh look at its partnership with Anthropic after disagreements over how the company’s Claude AI system can be used in military settings.

The talks have reportedly become tense in recent months as both sides tried to agree on limits around the technology. Anthropic has pushed to block certain uses of its AI, including large-scale surveillance of U.S. citizens and weapons systems that could operate without a human making the final decision.

Defense officials, on the other hand, want more freedom. They are seeking the ability to use the technology for “all lawful purposes.”

Because of that gap, the situation has grown more serious. The Department of Defense is now considering whether to label Anthropic a “supply chain risk.” If that happens, the impact could go beyond the company’s current contract. Businesses that work with both the Pentagon and Anthropic might be forced to end their partnerships with the AI firm.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the relationship is under review. He said defense partners must be willing to support military readiness and national security needs.

Anthropic says it remains in constructive talks with the Pentagon and is committed to using its AI responsibly in national security settings.

The review follows a two-year agreement Anthropic signed with the Pentagon last year. That deal included prototype versions of Claude designed specifically for government use. It marked a key step for the company, which had previously focused mostly on commercial and enterprise customers.

Stepping back, the situation highlights how complex AI partnerships have become as the technology moves deeper into defense operations. AI tools can improve data analysis, planning, and logistics, but questions about how they are used (and who sets the limits) are becoming increasingly important.

The outcome of the review could also shape how the Pentagon works with other AI companies in the future, including OpenAI, Google, and xAI.

As the military increases its use of artificial intelligence, the rules around how those systems are deployed are becoming just as important as the technology itself.

At the time of publishing this article, Stocks.News holds positions in Google as mentioned in the article.