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[TECHNOLOGY] · United States · 100 sources

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Anthropic wins legal battle against Pentagon over AI usage restrictions

A federal judge has ruled that the Pentagon acted illegally by designating AI developer Anthropic as a supply chain risk. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued a 59-page order stating that the Department of Defense's actions constituted unlawful retaliation against the company for its public criticism of the government's stance on AI deployment.

The dispute originated when Anthropic refused to remove safety guardrails that prevent its Claude AI model from being used for mass surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons. Anthropic argued that current AI systems are not sufficiently reliable for such high-stakes military applications. In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the company a supply chain risk, a move that effectively barred military contractors from doing business with them.

Judge Lin found that the government's invocation of national security was used as a pretext to punish the company for its perceived arrogance in criticizing the administration, rather than being based on a legitimate threat of sabotage. The ruling also noted that Anthropic was denied the due process required under the Fifth Amendment. While the Pentagon is expected to appeal, the decision marks a significant legal victory for the AI sector regarding the limits of executive power and constitutional protections for technology companies.

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Anthropic · Claude · Computer & Communications Industry Association · Donald Trump · Pentagon · Pete Hegseth · Rita Lin

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