What happened
US President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to cease collaborations with AI startup Anthropic, citing security risks. The directive includes a six-month phase-out for the Department of Defence and other agencies currently using Anthropic's services. This decision follows the Department of War designating Anthropic a "supply-chain risk," a classification the Google and Amazon-backed company is contesting in court. The move effectively isolates Anthropic in Washington, threatening its government and private-sector relationships.
Why it matters
This directive immediately impacts government procurement teams and security architects by blocking access to Anthropic's AI models. The "supply-chain risk" designation, typically reserved for foreign adversaries, establishes a precedent for how the US government will enforce its terms on AI developers. This action forces government contractors to cease commercial activity with Anthropic, shifting the landscape for AI integration in defence and intelligence operations and limits the ethical guardrails companies can impose on their technology's use.
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