Pentagon threatens AI firm Anthropic with sanctions

The U.S. Department of Defense is increasing pressure on artificial intelligence company Anthropic and has reportedly threatened significant sanctions. At the center of the dispute is the military use of the company’s AI model Claude, which is considered one of the most advanced systems currently available. Washington insists that the technology must be usable for “all lawful purposes,” including weapons development, intelligence operations and military applications. 

Anthropic, however, maintains strict usage policies and refuses to allow its AI to be deployed for autonomous weapons systems without meaningful human oversight or for large-scale surveillance activities. According to reports, Pentagon officials view these restrictions as operationally limiting.

As a potential countermeasure, the Department of Defense is considering labeling Anthropic as a supply-chain risk. Such a designation would effectively prohibit defense contractors from using the company’s technology — a step typically reserved for foreign adversaries or security threats.

The situation is particularly sensitive because Claude is reportedly the only AI system currently approved for use within certain secure and classified Pentagon environments. At the same time, negotiations are underway for a potential defense contract worth up to $200 million, whose future now appears uncertain.

The dispute underscores the rapidly growing strategic importance of artificial intelligence for modern warfare. Governments are seeking broad access to cutting-edge systems, while technology companies increasingly attempt to impose ethical boundaries and safety controls.

Overall, the confrontation illustrates how AI has evolved from a commercial technology into a central geopolitical asset — comparable in strategic significance to nuclear capabilities or critical resources.

SK