Trump Mandates Federal Agencies to Immediately Cease Using Anthropic AI Technology
President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering all federal agencies to begin an immediate phase-out of Anthropic technology. This decisive action follows a highly publicised dispute between the artificial intelligence company and the Pentagon regarding the safety and ethical use of AI in military contexts.
Pentagon Ultimatum and Anthropic's Refusal
The conflict escalated when the Pentagon issued an ultimatum to Anthropic, demanding unrestricted military access to its advanced AI system, Claude. The Department of Defense threatened to cancel Anthropic's existing contract and designate the company as a supply chain risk if it did not comply by a specified Friday deadline.
Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, publicly refused the Pentagon's demands, stating the company cannot in good conscience accede to the terms. The firm sought specific, binding assurances that Claude would not be deployed for purposes such as mass surveillance of American citizens or within fully autonomous weapon systems. Anthropic argued that the Pentagon's proposed compromise lacked enforceable safeguards, potentially allowing these critical protections to be disregarded.
Industry Polarisation and Political Backing
The dispute has sharply divided the technology sector. Notable figures, including some employees from OpenAI and Google, as well as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, have expressed support for Anthropic's ethical stance. Conversely, entrepreneur Elon Musk has aligned himself with President Trump and the Pentagon's position, highlighting a significant rift within the tech community over the militarisation of artificial intelligence.
President Trump's order mandates a complete cessation of Anthropic technology across all federal operations, underscoring the administration's firm support for the Pentagon's approach to national security and AI procurement.
