In its fight with the Pentagon, Anthropic confronts one of the biggest crises of its five-year existence

Fortune

by Jeremy Kahn

February 26, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Anthropic, an AI company valued at $380 billion, is facing a significant crisis as it grapples with demands from the U.S. Department of War to remove restrictions on how its technology can be used. The Pentagon wants Anthropic's AI models to be available for any "lawful purpose," including potential uses that could involve mass surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons. If Anthropic refuses to comply by Friday, it risks losing a $200 million contract and being labeled a "supply chain risk," which would severely impact its business growth, especially as the company considers an IPO next year. The situation escalated after a meeting between U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei failed to resolve the conflict. Hegseth reiterated his ultimatum, while Amodei defended the company's stance, stating that Anthropic shares policy goals with the Trump administration regarding AI leadership. However, other administration figures, like AI czar David Sacks, have criticized Anthropic, accusing it of using fear tactics to justify regulations that only a few companies can comply with. The article highlights the broader implications for AI companies and ethical considerations in military technology. While competitors like Google and OpenAI have not imposed such restrictions, Anthropic's principles on AI use have drawn both support and scrutiny. Experts suggest that Anthropic's decision

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Originally published on Fortune on 2/26/2026