By Karmrath News Desk
USA: The United States military reportedly relied on Claude, the artificial intelligence model developed by Anthropic, during its strikes on Iran, even though President Donald Trump had ordered federal agencies to cut ties with the company only hours earlier.
Reports by the Wall Street Journal and Axios said the AI system was used during the large-scale joint US-Israel bombardment that began on Saturday. The episode highlights how deeply artificial intelligence tools are already integrated into military operations, making an immediate disengagement difficult despite political directives.
According to the reports, US military command used Claude for intelligence analysis, target identification and battlefield simulation exercises intended to support operational planning.
Trump had issued an order on Friday directing all federal agencies to immediately stop using Anthropic’s technology. In a post on Truth Social, he criticised the company as a “Radical Left AI company run by people who have no idea what the real World is all about”.
Tensions between the administration and Anthropic had escalated earlier after the US military used Claude during a January operation aimed at capturing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Anthropic objected to the use, citing its terms of service, which prohibit the model’s deployment for violent activities, weapons development or surveillance purposes.
Relations between the company and US defense officials have since deteriorated. In a lengthy statement posted on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Anthropic of “arrogance and betrayal”, arguing that American military operations should not be constrained by what he described as the ideological positions of technology firms. He also called for unrestricted access to Anthropic’s AI systems for all lawful government uses.
At the same time, Hegseth acknowledged the practical challenges of removing AI infrastructure already embedded within defense systems. He said Anthropic would continue providing services for up to six months to enable a transition to what he described as a “better and more patriotic” alternative.
Following the split, rival AI developer OpenAI has moved to fill the gap. CEO Sam Altman said the company had reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its tools, including ChatGPT, within classified military networks.