Anthropic–Pentagon contract dispute raises questions about AI's use in the military

Hours before the United States launched strikes on Iran, there was another big story at the Pentagon: 

The Department of Defense designated Anthropic, the U.S.-based AI company, a supply chain risk. This was shortly after President Trump ordered all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic technology.

The announcement came as DoD and the AI company failed to reach a deal on how Anthropic technology could be used in classified networks.

The sticking points in contract negotiations? Two use cases: Mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons.

Anthropic had a $200 million contract with the Pentagon – and its Claude AI model was reportedly used in the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. 

Out of the shambles of the Anthropic negotiation.The Pentagon quickly announced a deal with its rival, Open AI.

The contract dispute points to the increasing role of AI in the military and what safeguards may exist for its use both domestically and in war. 

Guest:

Bill Howe, associate professor at the University of Washington’s Information School. He runs UW’s Responsibility in AI Systems and Experiences center

Relevant Links:

NYT: How Talks Between Anthropic and the Defense Dept. Fell Apart

WSJ: What’s Really at Stake in the Fight Between Anthropic and the Pentagon

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