Washington, D.C., March 2: Artificial intelligence technology developed by Anthropic AI was reportedly used in recent U.S. military strikes on Iran just hours after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to halt the company’s AI tools.
According to multiple U.S. media reports, including The Wall Street Journal, Anthropic’s large language model Claude was deployed by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East to assist with operational tasks. These reportedly included intelligence analysis, target identification, and battlefield simulations.
The timing of the AI’s use has drawn attention. President Trump had designated Anthropic as a potential “national security supply-chain risk” and directed federal agencies to phase out the company’s technology within six months. The order followed disagreements between the administration and Anthropic over ethical safeguards embedded in its AI systems.
Anthropic has maintained contractual protections that prohibit its models from being used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons without meaningful human oversight. Defense officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have argued that the military requires broader access to advanced AI tools for lawful defense and operational planning.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has publicly defended the company’s stance, calling efforts to remove the safeguards “legally unsound.” The company reiterated its commitment to responsible AI use while expressing willingness to support national security missions within ethical boundaries.
The episode highlights the growing integration of artificial intelligence into modern military strategy. Experts note that the rapid adoption of AI in defense operations has outpaced regulatory frameworks, raising concerns about oversight, accountability, and procurement transparency.
The Pentagon is expected to transition away from Anthropic’s systems over the coming months. Meanwhile, rival AI firms, including OpenAI, have reportedly entered new defense agreements to supply AI models for classified military applications under structured ethical guidelines.
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