Anthropic pushed for moral boundaries. OpenAI settled for softer legal ones, and now it stands to benefit as the Pentagon rushes out a politicized AI strategy during strikes on Iran.

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OpenAI struck a deal allowing the US military to use its AI in classified settings, framing it as a principled compromise that prohibits autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. However, the agreement relies primarily on existing laws rather than independent moral red lines, contrasting with Anthropic's harder stance that cost it its Pentagon contract. Defense Secretary Hegseth publicly condemned Anthropic and threatened to classify it as a supply chain risk, while OpenAI's deal is criticized for deferring to legal frameworks that critics argue are insufficient to prevent AI-enabled weapons or surveillance. The situation is further complicated by the Pentagon's ongoing strikes on Iran, during which Claude was reportedly still used hours after the ban, raising questions about how quickly OpenAI's models can replace Anthropic's in classified operations.

OpenAI’s “compromise” with the Pentagon is what Anthropic feared

<p>OpenAI… they’ve strayed quite a lot from their original goals.</p>
