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Anthropic vs Pentagon: Hegseth sets Friday deadline for Claude AI use

/ 05:26/E1032
The Pentagon has issued a final ultimatum to AI startup Anthropic, demanding unrestricted military access to its Claude model by Friday evening. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pressuring CEO Dario Amodei to remove ethical guardrails that prevent the technology from being used in mass surveillance and autonomous weapons systems. If the company refuses to comply, officials have threatened to cancel its $200 million contract, label the firm a supply chain risk, and potentially invoke the Defense Production Act to force compliance. The conflict highlights a growing rift between the Trump administration's push for AI dominance and the safety-first philosophy of some Silicon Valley leaders. While competitors like OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI have already agreed to all lawful uses, Anthropic remains the sole holdout among the major defense-contracted AI firms.

The Pentagon is locked in a high-stakes standoff with AI startup Anthropic, issuing a final ultimatum for the company to grant unrestricted military access to its Claude model. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has set a deadline of Friday evening, threatening to cancel a $200 million contract and label the firm a supply chain risk if it refuses. While Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei insists on safeguards against mass surveillance and autonomous targeting, the Trump administration has characterized these ethical guardrails as woke AI. This conflict marks a pivotal moment in the relationship between the U.S. government and the artificial intelligence industry, potentially leading to the first use of the Defense Production Act to seize control of private AI software.

Topics Covered

  • 📰 The Pentagon's best and final offer to Anthropic regarding military software use.
  • ⚖️ The debate over ethical guardrails against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
  • 🏛️ Proposed use of the Defense Production Act to compel AI company compliance.
  • 💼 Comparison of Anthropic's stance against competitors like OpenAI and xAI.
  • ⚡ The potential blacklisting of Anthropic as a national supply chain risk.

Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human reviewed. View our AI Transparency Policy at NeuralNewscast.com.

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (00:08) - The Pentagon Ultimatum
  • (00:08) - Ethical Guardrails and Safety
Anthropic vs Pentagon: Hegseth sets Friday deadline for Claude AI use

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