Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today, as the Pentagon threatens the AI company with what could amount to a government blacklist.
At issue is the guardrails Anthropic placed on its AI models. The Pentagon, which has a $200 million contract with Anthropic, wants the company to lift its restrictions for the military to be able to use the model for “all lawful use,” according to a source familiar with the discussions.
But Anthropic has concerns over two issues that it isn’t willing to drop, the source said: AI-controlled weapons and mass domestic surveillance of American citizens. According to a source familiar, Anthropic believes AI is not reliable enough to operate weapons and no laws or regulations yet that cover how AI could be used in mass surveillance.
Kinda crazy how the US gov’t has all this money for surveillance but not enough to pay interest on its debt.
Whenever the Pentagon catches even the slightest whiff of a conscience among its contractors they move immediately to snuff it out.
If people would instead use the term “Text generator” instead of “AI”, boomers like Hegseth would understand that the military is not its use case
Anthropic’s artificial-intelligence model Claude was used in the U.S. military’s operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Claude’s deployment came via Anthropic’s partnership with data firm Palantir Technologies (PLTR.O) -WSJ via Reuters
Someone at Anthropic apparently saw that story, asked how Claude was used, and the Pentagon got cagey.
“Text generator to”
-
Identify the next target to attack
-
Justify the latest military operation to the press
-
Induce a panic in Congress to get the Pentagon more money
-
Lie about how the latest military engagement is going
Seems to fulfill all the basic responsibilities of a modern Secretary of
DefenseOffense. Why do we even need Hegseth at all? Hell, why do we need the Joint Chiefs? Just direct all future queries to the GenAI.mil platform. We can scrape every bureaucrat over the rank of Major with this thing.-
Text vomiter would be even more accurate
Anyone else have “SkyNet released” on their 2026 bingo card?
Isn’t Pete Hegseth the guy who gets drunk and invites journalists to secret military chats?
He leaks secrets that remind him of the good times He leaks secrets that remind of the better times
Oh Petey boyyyyyy
o/
Man we used to high five in IRC and now all i see is a salute. 😟
That and is totally cool taking orders from a treasonous child rapist
Anthropic believes AI is not reliable enough to operate weapons
something something walk or drive to the car wash something something
I have to doubt they will use it, regardless of any concerns.
I imagine you meant to say “no doubt” they will use it. Because I have none.
That’s how I read it. They are already using it, but want absolutely no guardrails or ethical interference.
Removed by mod
But why the crab cakes? The rest of it makes sense, but… what?
Then let me ask, how would you reach quorum with a loose group in the south? It’s guns or fried food, for me.
Three possible outcomes:
- Anthropic drop their pretense of caring in exchange for further blood money
- Kegseth gives them an extension in exchange for an obvious bribe
- Both.
I’m thinking it’s probably 3.
MAGA Diplomacy: “Just shut the fuck up, and take the fucking money. What’s the matter with you?”
