The Anthropic–Pentagon split
The Department of Defense moving its classified AI work off Anthropic after a dispute over surveillance and autonomous-weapons contract terms.
Does the transition complete on schedule, and what replaces the contract safeguards Anthropic sought? Settled by: a department statement or filing after 30 September confirming completion, or a court order pausing it.
Where this stands as of Monday, 14 September 2026
As of 14 September the transition is nearly done, on one official's word. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, told DefenseScoop that about 90% of classified AI workloads have moved off Anthropic, with the rest due by the end of September; DefenseScoop reports OpenAI's ChatGPT, xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini are being deployed in its place, and that the break followed Anthropic's attempt to secure contract terms preventing use for mass surveillance of US citizens or fully autonomous lethal weapons, which the department rejected. No other outlet had matched the figure as of this snapshot, and no contract documents have been published.
Timeline
Every item filed under this storyline, newest first, with its sources.
Saturday, 12 September 2026
Pentagon says about 90% of classified AI workloads have moved off Anthropic, with the rest due by the end of September mixedSingle source
- Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said "I'd say about 90% has transitioned", with completion targeted for the end of the month. OpenAI's ChatGPT, xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini are being deployed across classified and unclassified systems in place of Anthropic's models.
- DefenseScoop reports the break followed Anthropic's attempt to secure contract terms preventing its models being used for mass surveillance of US citizens or fully autonomous lethal weapons; the department rejected them, insisting its software be available for "all lawful purposes".
- The Pentagon has designated Anthropic a national security supply chain risk under two separate laws. One case has been adjudicated in the Northern District of California; a second is pending before the D.C. Circuit, which Michael said has not granted a preliminary injunction and is expected to rule "in the next month or two".
- This is the first public figure on how far the migration has gone, and it comes from the department rather than from Anthropic, which is not quoted. DefenseScoop is the only outlet we could open with an in-window timestamp.
Tracked figures
- about 90%
- of classified AI workloads moved off Anthropic, per Under Secretary Emil Michael Fri 11 Sep DefenseScoop
Open questions
Does the department confirm completion after 30 September?
- What would settle it
- A department statement, a filing, or a second outlet obtaining the figures from the department.
- Asked
- Mon 14 Sep