There are a million stories you should be watching closely. This one should be at the top of that list.
The Pentagon has threatened to effectively destroy one of America’s most important technology companies. In the process of attempting to procure contracts with AI companies, the Pentagon demands contracts that permit it to use the technology however they want for whatever purpose they want, including automated weapon systems and spying on Americans. Every other AI company in America has given in to these demands. Only Anthropic said they wouldn’t sell their technology to the Pentagon unless the Pentagon agreed not to use their product for automated weapons purposes or to spy on Americans.
The Pentagon was not happy with these conditions. And the authoritarians who run our government have now threatened to retaliate. Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense (which he is until Congress changes the name of his department which it has not), has threatened to deem Anthropic “a supply chain risk.” That designation would mean that any company doing business with the US military would need to certify that they don’t do business with Anthropic. That designation would effectively destroy the company — unless they give in.
One might question whether Anthropic is right to insist on its principles. And one might well say that the government should have…
