Facing the PentagonStep by stepAnthropic, upholding ethical standards in AI, has chosen to confront the issue head-on. According to the latest news, Anthropic has officially filed a lawsuit in federal court, attempting to prevent the U.S. Department of Defense from adding it to the "Supply Chain Risk" blacklist, which is seen as damaging to its business reputation. This lawsuit is not only a desperate counterattack by Anthropic to protect its business interests and customers, but also formally elevates the conflict between "corporate AI ethics" and "national military expansion" to a constitutional level legal battle.
Defending Freedom of Speech and Due Process: Accusing the Government of Blatant Violations
According toReuters NewsAccording to reports, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei fulfilled his promise.Last week's promiseThey formally launched a legal counterattack against the US government.
In its lawsuit, Anthropic strongly argued that the Department of Defense's "supply chain risk" accusation was not only without legal basis, but also seriously violated the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as well as due process.
In its official statement, Anthropic strongly condemned the actions, stating, "These actions are unprecedented and illegal. The U.S. Constitution does not permit the government to use its vast power to punish a company's protected speech and positions."
Adhering to the red line of "no surveillance, no weapons manufacturing," they suffered retaliation with a $2 million order.
Looking back at the development of this epic conflict, it began in late February of this year when the U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth exerted intensive pressure on Anthropic. The military demanded that the company remove certain security barriers from its AI system, but Dario Amodei took a hard line, resolutely refusing to allow the Claude model to be used for "mass surveillance" or "developing autonomous weapons."
With the ultimatum expired on February 27, Dario Amodei still refused to compromise. This directly angered the Pentagon, and Pete Hegseth retaliated by labeling it as a "supply chain risk" and unilaterally canceling a $200 million contract between the US government and Anthropic.
Even more devastatingly, on the same day, US President Trump also issued an executive order requiring all federal agencies to completely stop using Anthropic products.
Official response: Seeking judicial review is a "necessary step" to protect the business.
In response to the lawsuit, an Anthropic spokesperson issued a statement indicating an attempt to strike a balance between strong legal action and national security: "Seeking judicial review does not change our long-standing commitment to using AI to protect national security, but it is a 'necessary step' to protect our business, customers, and partners. We will continue to pursue all avenues for resolving the issue, including dialogue with the government."
