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Anthropic\u2019s $200 million contract with the Department of Defense (DOD) broke down last week after the two parties failed to come to an agreement over the degree to which the military could obtain unrestricted access<\/a> to Anthropic\u2019s AI.<\/p>\n When the DOD made a deal with OpenAI instead, it seemed that the military\u2019s relationship with Anthropic would come to a close \u2014 but new reporting from the Financial Times<\/a> and Bloomberg<\/a> say that Amodei resumed negotiations with Pentagon official Emil Michael.<\/p>\n These talks are reportedly part of an attempt to compromise on a contract that outlines how the Pentagon can continue to access Anthropic\u2019s AI models.<\/p>\n It would be a surprise to see Anthropic eek out a new deal, given how much vitriol has been exchanged among the parties involved. But a compromise could still hold appeal for both sides \u2014 the Pentagon already relies on Anthropic\u2019s technology, and an abrupt switch to OpenAI\u2019s systems would be disruptive.<\/p>\n The dispute began when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei voiced concern over a clause that allowed the military to use Anthropic\u2019s AI for \u201cany lawful use.\u201d Amodei asserted that the company would not allow for its technology to be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry and wanted the contract to more clearly prohibit those uses. When Anthropic refused to comply, the DOD turned around and struck a deal<\/a> with OpenAI instead.<\/p>\n Since then, figures on both sides have been open about their frustrations. Michael called Amodei a \u201cliar\u201d with a \u201cGod complex.\u201d Amodei threw some jabs of his own at the DOD and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a message<\/a> reportedly sent to Anthropic staff this week, calling the OpenAI deal \u201csafety theater\u201d and the messaging around it \u201cstraight up lies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe main reason [OpenAI] accepted [the DOD\u2019s deal] and we did not is that they cared about placating employees, and we actually cared about preventing abuses,\u201d Amodei wrote in the memo.<\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco, CA<\/span> Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pledged to declare Anthropic a \u201csupply-chain risk<\/a>,\u201d essentially blacklisting the company from working with any other company that has business with the U.S. military \u2014 although he has yet to take any legal action to that effect. This sort of designation is typically reserved for foreign adversaries, and it\u2019s unclear whether it would survive a court challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 13-15, 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n