The US Department of Defense has labelled artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a “supply chain risk”, in a move that could affect how its technology is used by the American military and government contractors.
The Pentagon said it has formally informed the company that both Anthropic and its products are now considered a risk to the defence supply chain. The decision took effect immediately.
This designation is unusual because it is typically used for foreign companies that may pose a national security concern. Applying it to a US-based technology firm highlights growing tensions between the government and parts of the AI industry.
The move comes after a disagreement between the Pentagon and Anthropic over how the company’s artificial intelligence tools should be used by the military. US officials have been urging AI companies to allow their systems to be used for a wide range of defence and national security purposes.
However, Anthropic has placed limits on how its AI models can be used. The company has policies that restrict the use of its technology for activities such as mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons that can attack targets without human control.
Because of these restrictions, discussions between the government and the company reportedly broke down. The Pentagon then decided to classify Anthropic as a supply chain risk.
The decision could create problems for companies that work with the US Department of Defense. Contractors may now need to stop using Anthropic’s AI tools if they want to continue doing business with the military.
Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has said the company will continue to maintain safeguards to prevent misuse of powerful AI systems.
Anthropic has criticised the move and said it plans to challenge the decision legally. The company argues that it is trying to ensure artificial intelligence is used responsibly and safely.
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