Anthropic representatives stated that the company continues engaging in good-faith negotiations and aims to support national security objectives while preserving its responsible AI deployment framework. Company officials emphasized that current safety restrictions are designed to prevent misuse of AI systems in high-risk military scenarios.
The controversy gained attention after concerns emerged regarding potential use of AI tools during foreign military operations, although Anthropic said it had not raised specific operational complaints about third-party deployments.
Government officials also warned that if Anthropic is formally classified as a supply-chain risk, the decision could significantly affect the company’s commercial partnerships across the defense technology ecosystem. Legal experts from McCarter & English indicated that any adverse administrative action could trigger extensive litigation.
Defense officials have been working to shift AI contractors onto secure classified computing networks as part of a long-term modernization initiative. The Pentagon has already announced agreements with several AI developers to deploy models within controlled defense infrastructure environments.
