Google and OpenAI Employees Back Anthropic Against Pentagon Demand
Key Points
- Anthropic refuses Pentagon demand for unrestricted AI access.
- 300+ Google employees and 60+ OpenAI employees sign open letter supporting Anthropic.
- Letter urges Google and OpenAI leaders to uphold Anthropic’s red lines on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expresses personal opposition to Pentagon threats under the Defense Production Act.
- Google DeepMind chief scientist Jeff Dean condemns mass surveillance as a Fourth Amendment violation.
- Military currently uses Grok, Gemini, and ChatGPT for unclassified tasks and seeks classified access.
- Defense Secretary threatens to label Anthropic a supply‑chain risk or invoke the Defense Production Act.
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reiterates the company will not comply with the demand.
- The dispute highlights broader industry concerns about AI ethics, national security, and civil liberties.
Anthropic faces a standoff with the U.S. Department of War over a request for unrestricted access to its AI technology. As the Pentagon’s deadline looms, more than 300 Google employees and over 60 OpenAI employees have signed an open letter urging their companies to stand with Anthropic and reject the military’s push for use of AI in domestic mass surveillance and fully autonomous weaponry. The letter asks executives at Google and OpenAI to uphold Anthropic’s red lines, while company leaders have not yet issued formal responses. Informal comments suggest sympathy for Anthropic’s position, and the dispute highlights broader tensions over AI ethics and government demand.
Background of the Dispute
Anthropic, an artificial‑intelligence firm, is currently in a stalemate with the United States Department of War. The Pentagon has asked Anthropic for unrestricted access to its AI technology, a request the company has declined. The request includes potential use of Anthropic’s models for domestic mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons, both of which Anthropic has publicly opposed.
Employee Mobilization
In response to the Pentagon’s deadline for compliance, more than three hundred employees at Google and over sixty employees at OpenAI signed an open letter. The letter calls on the leadership of both companies to support Anthropic’s stance and to refuse the Department of War’s demand for unrestricted use. Signatories emphasize the need for the tech industry to stand together against what they describe as an attempt to divide companies through fear.
Key Demands in the Open Letter
The open letter specifically requests that executives at Google and OpenAI maintain Anthropic’s “red lines” against the use of artificial‑intelligence systems for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weaponry. It urges the companies to “put aside their differences and stand together” to uphold these ethical boundaries.
Company Reactions
Leaders at Google and OpenAI have not issued formal statements regarding the open letter. However, informal remarks indicate a degree of sympathy for Anthropic’s position. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told CNBC that he does not personally think the Pentagon should threaten the Defense Production Act against the companies. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that the company shares Anthropic’s red lines on autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.
Google’s DeepMind chief scientist Jeff Dean, speaking individually, posted on X that mass surveillance violates the Fourth Amendment and has a chilling effect on freedom of expression. He warned that surveillance systems are prone to misuse for political or discriminatory purposes.
Military Access to Other AI Platforms
According to reports, the military already utilizes X’s Grok, Google’s Gemini, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT for unclassified tasks and is negotiating to extend use to classified work. Anthropic, despite having an existing partnership with the Pentagon, has remained firm that its technology will not be employed for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weaponry.
Pentagon Pressure and Anthropic’s Response
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei that failure to concede could result in the Pentagon labeling the company a “supply chain risk” or invoking the Defense Production Act to force compliance. In a statement, Amodei said the two threats are contradictory—one branding Anthropic a security risk, the other deeming its AI essential to national security—and that they do not change the company’s position. Anthropic maintains that it cannot, in good conscience, accede to the request.
Implications for the Tech Industry
The episode underscores growing tensions between AI developers and government entities over the ethical use of powerful technologies. It also highlights the willingness of employees within leading AI firms to publicly advocate for responsible AI practices, even when it involves challenging the Department of War’s demands. The outcome of this standoff may set precedents for how AI companies negotiate with government agencies on matters of national security and civil liberties.