AI company Anthropic said Thursday (February 26, 2026) it would not give the U.S. Defense Department unrestricted use of its technology despite being pressured to comply by the Pentagon.
"These threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request," Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei said in a statement.
Pentagon asks defence contractors about reliance on Anthropic's AI services, source says
Washington had given the artificial intelligence startup until Friday (February 27, 2026) to agree to unconditional military use of its technology, even if it violates ethical standards at the company, or face being forced to comply under emergency federal powers.
Mr. Amodei said Anthropic models have been deployed by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to defend the country but that it draws an ethical line regarding its use for mass surveillance of U.S. citizens and fully-autonomous weapons.
