The American artificial intelligence company Anthropic has launched legal action to prevent the Pentagon from placing it on a national security blacklist, opening a new front in the conflict between the company and the US military over the use of AI in military operations.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, asks a judge to overturn the designation and prevent federal agencies from implementing it. Anthropic argues that the Department of Defense's decision is illegal and violates its constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and due process.
"These actions are unprecedented and illegal. The Constitution does not authorize the government to use its power to punish a company for exercising its freedom of expression," the company said in its complaint.
The Pentagon has officially classified Anthropic as a supply chain risk, severely restricting the use of its technology by federal agencies. According to sources familiar with the matter, the company's artificial intelligence systems had been used in some U.S. military operations, including in the context of the conflict with Iran.
The decision by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly came after Anthropic refused to relax restrictions on the use of its AI. The company specifically prohibits its technology from being used for autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance programs.
Discussions between the two parties have intensified in recent months without resulting in a compromise. Despite the legal proceedings, Anthropic has indicated it remains open to negotiations with the US government.
In this context, the President Donald Trump also called on all federal agencies via social media to stop using Claude, the artificial intelligence assistant developed by Anthropic, increasing the pressure on the start-up and its investors.
