What is the story about?
AI giant Anthropic has said it won't budge from its position and give unrestricted use of its technology to the US military despite being pressured to comply by the Pentagon.
"These threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request," Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei said in a statement.
Anthropic had till Friday to respond to the Pentagon's demand that the company give unconditional access to its technology even if it violates ethical standards at the company, or face being forced to comply under emergency federal powers.
While Amodei acknowledged that the US Defense Department has deployed Anthropic models to defend the country, it draws an ethical line regarding its use for mass surveillance of US citizens and fully autonomous weapons.
"Using these systems for mass domestic surveillance is incompatible with democratic values. "We will not knowingly provide a product that puts America's warfighters and civilians at risk," Amodei said.
The Pentagon, reluctant to forfeit its access to Claude, is reportedly angered by Anthropic’s refusal to fully remove its safeguards. With both parties seemingly at a stalemate ahead of the meeting, an Anthropic spokesperson maintained that the company is “having productive conversations, in good faith.”
After meeting with Anthropic early this week, the Pentagon delivered a stark ultimatum: agree to unrestricted military use of its technology by 5:01 pm (22:01 GMT) Friday or face being forced to comply under the Defense Production Act.
The Pentagon also threatened to label Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation usually reserved for firms from adversary countries that could severely damage the company's ability to work with the US government and reputation.
A senior Pentagon official at the time pushed back on the company's concerns, insisting the Defense Department had always operated within the law.
"Legality is the Pentagon's responsibility as the end user," the official said, adding that the department "has only given out lawful orders."
With inputs from agencies
"These threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request," Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei said in a statement.
Anthropic had till Friday to respond to the Pentagon's demand that the company give unconditional access to its technology even if it violates ethical standards at the company, or face being forced to comply under emergency federal powers.
While Amodei acknowledged that the US Defense Department has deployed Anthropic models to defend the country, it draws an ethical line regarding its use for mass surveillance of US citizens and fully autonomous weapons.
"Using these systems for mass domestic surveillance is incompatible with democratic values. "We will not knowingly provide a product that puts America's warfighters and civilians at risk," Amodei said.
The Pentagon, reluctant to forfeit its access to Claude, is reportedly angered by Anthropic’s refusal to fully remove its safeguards. With both parties seemingly at a stalemate ahead of the meeting, an Anthropic spokesperson maintained that the company is “having productive conversations, in good faith.”
What can go wrong for Anthropic?
After meeting with Anthropic early this week, the Pentagon delivered a stark ultimatum: agree to unrestricted military use of its technology by 5:01 pm (22:01 GMT) Friday or face being forced to comply under the Defense Production Act.
The Pentagon also threatened to label Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation usually reserved for firms from adversary countries that could severely damage the company's ability to work with the US government and reputation.
A senior Pentagon official at the time pushed back on the company's concerns, insisting the Defense Department had always operated within the law.
"Legality is the Pentagon's responsibility as the end user," the official said, adding that the department "has only given out lawful orders."
With inputs from agencies
