Anthropic Shares Face Pressure as Trump Awards Pentagon AI Deal to OpenAI

This action follows Anthropic's refusal to grant the Pentagon unrestricted access to its AI models, citing concerns about potential misuse for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. In parallel, OpenAI has secured a deal with the Pentagon to deploy its AI models on classified networks.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that their agreement includes the same safety principles Anthropic sought, prohibiting domestic mass surveillance and ensuring human responsibility for the use of force. The administration, including President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticized Anthropic for endangering national security, while Anthropic vowed to challenge the government's actions legally.

The dispute has drawn attention from Silicon Valley, with some supporting Anthropic's stance on safeguards and others, like Elon Musk, criticizing the company.