Anthropic’s $200 million contract with the Department of Defense (DoD) collapsed last week as they couldn’t agree on the military’s unrestricted access to Anthropic’s AI.
Though the DoD then partnered with OpenAI, reports from the Financial Times and Bloomberg suggest that Amodei has reopened discussions with Pentagon official Emil Michael.
These discussions aim to outline a new contract allowing the Pentagon continued access to Anthropic’s AI models.
Despite tensions, a new agreement might benefit both sides since the Pentagon heavily relies on Anthropic’s technology, and switching to OpenAI could cause disruptions.
The disagreement started when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei opposed a clause allowing the military to use Anthropic’s AI for any lawful purpose. Amodei insisted on prohibiting its use for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. After Anthropic’s refusal, the DoD made a deal with OpenAI.
Both parties have since expressed their frustrations. Michael labeled Amodei a “liar” with a “God complex,” while Amodei criticized the DoD and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a message to Anthropic staff, calling the OpenAI deal “safety theater” and a “lie.”
Amodei stated, “The main reason [OpenAI] accepted [the DoD’s deal] and we did not is that they cared about placating employees, and we actually cared about preventing abuses.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has threatened to declare Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” which would prevent them from working with any business connected to the U.S. military. However, he has not taken any legal actions, and it remains uncertain if such a declaration would withstand a legal challenge.