Anthropic CEO: We're trying to "deescalate" Pentagon AI standoff to reach agreement

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said his company and the Department of Defense "have much more in common than we have differences." Exclusive Politics Anthropic CEO: We're trying to "deescalate" Pentagon AI standoff to reach "some agreement that works for us and works for them" By Jo Ling Kent, Jo Ling Kent Senior Business and Technology Correspondent Journalist Jo Ling Kent joined CBS News in July 2023 as the senior business and technology correspondent for CBS News. Kent has more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of technology and business in the U.S., as well as the emergence of China as a global economic power. Read Full Bio Jo Ling Kent, Emily Pandise Updated on: March 4, 2026 / 3:59 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told investors on Tuesday that his company is still in talks with the Pentagon "to try to deescalate the situation" following a clash over AI guardrails in the military.Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in San Francisco, Amodei said Anthropic and the Department of Defense "have much more in common than we have differences." After expressing his belief in "defending America," Amodei added "we've never questioned specific military operations. We don't see ourselves as having an operational role."Amodei told the audience that Anthropic is still talking to the Pentagon "to try to de-escalate the situation and come to some agreement that works for us and works for them." His remarks came on the heels of a public standoff with the Pentagon that culminated in President Trump ordering the military to stop using Anthropic and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeling the company a "supply chain risk." That designation, which Amodei said he would challenge in court, effectively limits military contractors from working with Anthropic.A source directly familiar with the situation said that in the five days since Mr. Trump canceled Anthropic's government contracts, company executives have expressed regret to Pentagon officials over the misunderstanding over Anthropic's role in military action.The Department of Defense declined our request for comment on this story.Hours after Hegseth said the company would be deemed a supply chain risk, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told CBS News exclusively that the label was "retaliatory and punitive," and he pledged to fight the designation in court.Amodei said Anthropic sought to draw "red lines" in the government's use of its technology, specifically preventing its use for mass surveillance of Americans or for fully autonomous weapons. He said "we believe that crossing those lines is contrary to American values, and we wanted to stand up for American values." "Disagreeing with the government is the most American thing in the world," Amodei said. "And we are patriots. In everything we have done here, we have stood up for the values of this country."Emil Michael, the Pentagon's chief technology officer, told CBS News last Thursday the military had offered written acknowledgements of the federal laws and military policies that restrict mass surveillance and autonomous weapons — though Anthropic said that offer was "paired with legalese" that allowed the guardrails to be ignored."At some level, you have to trust your military to do the right thing," Michael said.Two sources familiar with the military's use of AI confirm that the U.S. used Claude for the attack on Iran. In: Artificial Intelligence Anthropic United States Department of Defense © 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.