Google overrides 600+ employee objections to sign a classified AI deal with the Pentagon, while Anthropic is shut out of the parallel contract with 8 other companies.
The U.S. Department of Defense struck agreements with seven tech companies to deploy AI on its highest-security networks on May 1. Anthropic, which insisted on safety guardrails against autonomous weapons, is conspicuously absent.
The U.S. Department of Defense finalized AI deployment agreements with OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, AWS, NVIDIA, SpaceX, Reflection AI, and Oracle for its most classified networks. Anthropic was excluded after refusing to allow Claude to be used for purposes including autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.
Google has signed a classified AI agreement with the Pentagon allowing use of Gemini for any lawful military purpose. The deal came after Anthropic refused similar terms. Over 600 Google employees sent a letter opposing the contract.
Military AI guardrails are still lagging the contracts. Axios reports Google's Gemini can be used in classified settings under an all lawful use Pentagon agreement, a broader frame than the one OpenAI says it accepted.