Tags: defense contracts

Anthropic sued the Department of Defense after being labeled a supply‑chain risk for refusing to enable domestic mass surveillance and fully autonomous lethal weapons. Hours later, nearly 40 engineers, researchers and scientists from OpenAI and Google filed an amicus brief supporting Anthropic, warning that the designation threatens public interest and that the two red lines reflect genuine risks. The brief emphasized concerns about AI‑driven mass surveillance and the unreliability of autonomous weapons, calling for technical safeguards or usage restrictions. Lire la suite

The U.S. Department of Defense has officially labeled Anthropic, the creator of the Claude AI model, as a supply‑chain risk after negotiations over the company's use restrictions collapsed. The designation bars defense contractors from using Claude in any government work and threatens to cancel contracts for firms that engage with Anthropic commercially. Anthropic’s CEO said the department’s action is legally unsound and the company will contest it in court. The dispute centers on Anthropic’s refusal to allow the Pentagon to employ Claude for autonomous lethal weapons without human oversight and for mass surveillance, raising questions about private control of government‑grade AI. Lire la suite

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei is back at the negotiating table with the U.S. Department of Defense after talks collapsed over the Pentagon’s demand for unrestricted access to the company’s Claude AI models. The renewed discussions aim to prevent a supply‑chain‑risk designation that could bar Anthropic from future defense work. The dispute centers on the department’s push for open‑use language and Anthropic’s refusal to compromise on two red lines: prohibiting mass surveillance of Americans and banning lethal autonomous weapons without human oversight. Lire la suite

Nearly a thousand engineers from Google and OpenAI have signed an open letter urging their companies to reject Pentagon pressure to expand the military use of artificial intelligence. The letter, framed as a show of solidarity, calls for clear ethical boundaries on AI applications in surveillance and autonomous weapons. It references past internal protests at Google over Project Maven and highlights Anthropic’s recent designation as a supply‑chain risk after refusing to enable mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The workers hope their collective voice will influence corporate policy on defense contracts. Lire la suite

OpenAI announced a new agreement with the Pentagon that it says respects its safety principles on domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapon systems. Critics point out that the deal relies on the phrase “any lawful use,” which they argue could allow broad government use of the technology. Anthropic refused a similar contract, was labeled a supply‑chain risk, and has drawn industry support. The dispute highlights differing approaches to AI safety, legal compliance, and the role of technical safeguards in military applications. Lire la suite

The U.S. secretary of defense announced that Anthropic, a leading AI startup, is now designated as a supply‑chain risk for any contractor, supplier, or partner doing business with the military. The move has sent shockwaves through the tech sector, prompting Anthropic to vow legal action and raising concerns about the impact on existing defense contracts and broader AI collaborations. Industry leaders, legal experts, and policy analysts are debating the legality and potential precedent of the designation, while companies that work with both the Pentagon and Anthropic are left uncertain about their future relationships. Lire la suite

A dispute has erupted between the Pentagon and AI firm Anthropic after the defense department asked its contractors to allow unrestricted use of their models for all lawful purposes. Anthropic warned that its Claude models could be applied to fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance, prompting the Pentagon to consider terminating its $200 million contract. The standoff reflects broader concerns among security experts and policymakers about the ethical limits of AI in military operations. Lire la suite

In the past year, major artificial intelligence firms—including OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, Google, and others—have moved from opposing military use of their technologies to actively collaborating with the U.S. defense sector. Policy changes, lucrative defense contracts, and evolving geopolitical pressures have driven this rapid realignment, normalizing AI applications in warfare and national security. The shift reflects broader tensions between neoliberal tech ideals and emerging techno‑nationalist agendas, as big‑tech companies become integral to the modern military‑industrial complex. Lire la suite

Defense contractor Anduril is testing large language model (LLM) technology in autonomous aircraft, while partnering with Meta on an Army contract to develop an AI‑enhanced augmented‑reality helmet. The effort reflects a broader push by the U.S. military to integrate generative AI into combat systems, aiming to streamline decision‑making and improve situational awareness. Companies such as Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI have also secured AI‑related defense contracts, signaling a rapid expansion of AI’s role in modern warfare. Lire la suite