Trump orders federal agencies to drop Anthropic’s AI

On Friday afternoon, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, directing federal agencies to "IMMEDIATELY CEASE" the use of products from Anthropic, an AI company known for its technology Claude. Trump accused Anthropic of attempting to "STRONG-ARM" the Pentagon, following the refusal of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to agree to an updated contract with the U.S. military. This contract would have allowed the military to use Anthropic's technology for "any lawful use," including mass domestic surveillance, as mandated in a memo by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier in the year. In response to Trump's directive, the Pentagon has designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk, effective immediately. This designation could hinder U.S. military vendors from collaborating with the company, further complicating Anthropic's position within the defense sector. The move reflects ongoing tensions between the tech industry and government agencies regarding the ethical implications of AI technology and its potential uses. Dario Amodei has expressed ethical concerns about the unchecked use of AI by the government, which has contributed to the friction between Anthropic and the Pentagon. The situation has raised alarms within the AI industry, with some commentators describing Trump's actions as "attempted corporate murder," indicating the potential chilling effect on innovation and collaboration in the sector.