Anthropic Ceo Dario Amodei Rejects Pentagon Military Ai Demands

In a significant escalation of tensions, Anthropic, an artificial intelligence lab, has firmly stated it will not relax its usage restrictions for military applications, despite pressure from the Pentagon. Following a crucial meeting on February 24, 2026, between Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon issued an ultimatum: comply with military demands or face severe consequences. On February 26, 2026, CEO Dario Amodei publicly rejected the Pentagon's 'best and final offer,' asserting that the start-up 'cannot in good conscience' agree to the government's terms for military use of its AI. This rejection underscores Anthropic's commitment to its principles, even in the face of potential repercussions from the Defense Department, which has integrated Anthropic's AI, Claude, into its operations but threatened to sever ties due to ongoing roadblocks.