Pentagon Demands from Anthropic Raise Concerns
The Pentagon is urging Anthropic to permit the Army to utilize its AI products for “any lawful purpose.” However, CEO Dario Amodei has raised alarms, suggesting that this could lead to the use of their technology for “domestic mass surveillance” or even “fully autonomous weapons.”
Amodei stated that the Army has indicated a willingness to contract with AI firms only if they agree to eliminate certain safeguards regarding these sensitive topics. He warned that if Anthropic maintains these protections, they risk being removed from the Army’s systems and could even be labeled as a ‘supply chain risk’—a designation typically reserved for foreign adversaries. This could, theoretically, lead to actions under the Defense Production Act to force compliance, he noted in a recent statement.
He further asserted, “Threats won’t shift our stance. We can’t ethically meet their requests.”
In response, Sean Parnell, an assistant public affairs officer to the Army Secretary, declared that the Army has no intention of using AI for mass surveillance of U.S. citizens, describing such actions as illegal. He emphasized the request for the Department of Defense to ensure Anthropic’s model could be employed for lawful uses only.
Parnell described the request as simple and logical, aimed at safeguarding military operations and the well-being of service members, while stating that companies need to abide by operational decisions without imposing conditions. They set a deadline of Friday at 5:01 p.m. ET for Anthropic to decide, stating that inaction would lead to a termination of their partnership.
Amid the tensions, Emil Michael, the Undersecretary of the Army for Research and Technology, accused Amodei of dishonesty, labeling him a “liar” with a “God complex.” He claimed that Amodei’s actions could jeopardize national security. Michael insisted that the Army would always act within legal bounds but wouldn’t allow private companies to dictate military actions.
In response to Michael’s remarks, Army Secretary Pete Hegseth shared his posts, reinforcing the Army’s position against the alleged mass surveillance activities.
Fox News Digital sought comments from the Pentagon on Friday but received responses pointing to Amodei’s earlier statements, which emphasized the value Anthropic’s technology brings to military capabilities. He expressed hope that the Pentagon might reconsider their stance, reiterating the company’s readiness to continue meaningful support for U.S. national security, even if changes need to be made.
