WASHINGTON: Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, a prominent artificial intelligence startup, stated on Thursday that the company "cannot in good conscience" enable the Department of Defense (DOD) to deploy its AI models without limitations. This announcement comes amidst ongoing negotiations with the U.S. military, during which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has threatened to classify Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" if the company does not acquiesce to DOD demands.

Anthropic’s primary concern is the potential use of its technology for fully autonomous weapons and extensive domestic surveillance, both of which the company vehemently opposes. As Hegseth met with Amodei on Tuesday, he pressed for compliance, giving Anthropic until Friday evening to agree to a “last and final offer” from the DOD. Amodei indicated that despite the pressure, his company stands by its principles, stating, "It is the Department's prerogative to select contractors most aligned with their vision. But we hope they reconsider, given the substantial value our technology provides."

While Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized that the DOD has "no interest" in using Anthropic's models for illegal purposes, he urged for the company to agree to unrestricted use for "all lawful purposes." This situation highlights the tension between national security interests and ethical considerations in AI development. Anthropic is the first lab to integrate its models into the DOD's classified networks under a $200 million contract signed earlier this year.

Anthropic's competitors, including OpenAI and Google, have expressed willingness to comply with DOD requests for unrestricted use of their models. As negotiations continue, Amodei has reiterated his commitment to remain a partner to the DOD while maintaining his company's ethical safeguards, stating, "Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters." If Anthropic is ultimately decommissioned, Amodei committed to ensuring a smooth transition to another service provider to avoid disruptions to military operations.