Anthropic engages in 'productive conversations' with Pentagon despite blacklist

Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei isn't stepping away from negotiations with the Pentagon, even though his company might take legal action against the Defense Department.

"I want to reiterate that we have been engaged in meaningful discussions with the Department of War over the past several days, both about how we could serve the Department according to our two narrow exceptions and about ensuring a smooth transition if that becomes necessary," Amodei stated in a detailed announcement on Thursday evening.

Amodei’s statement followed a confirmation from the Pentagon that it formally notified Anthropic about being classified as a "supply chain risk, effective immediately." 

This effectively blacklists Anthropic, following Amodei and the company's refusal to comply with the department’s requests.

Despite talks of reconciliation, Amodei stated that Anthropic is ready to sue the Pentagon regarding the classification. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pointed out that this effective blacklisting prevents any company with defense contracts from engaging with Anthropic.

"The language from the Department of War in the letter (assuming it was legally valid) coincides with our earlier statement indicating that the vast majority of our clients remain unaffected by the supply chain risk tagging," Amodei commented regarding the letter the Pentagon sent Anthropic.

Microsoft, which provides Anthropic models to its users, stated that it will maintain its collaboration with the AI startup.