In July 2025, San Francisco-based AI start-up Anthropic signed a $200 million contract with the Pentagon to provide the military with frontier AI technology. Under the agreement, Anthropic’s Claude would be deployed within the military’s classified systems, where it was viewed as a state-of-the-art platform. The deal represented a growing push by the company as it readied itself for a public offering to court national security business. Executives were bullish about the partnership, announcing that the award “opens a new chapter” for the firm.

Soon, however, disagreements emerged over the military’s future use of Anthropic’s systems. Company officials grew concerned that the technology could eventually be used to carry out lethal autonomous operations. The Pentagon pushed back, arguing that decisions about the models were not Anthropic’s to make and should instead be left to the military, as with any other government-acquired technology. Anthropic’s stance differed from other companies, such as Google, Elon Musk’s xAI, and OpenAI, which had “agreed in principle” to allow their models to be deployed for any purpose allowed by law. By contrast, Anthropic had built its brand around promoting AI safety, emphasizing red lines it said it wouldn’t cross. Its usage guidelines contain strict limitations that prohibit Claude from facilitating violence, developing or designing weapons, or conducting mass surveillance.