A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from punishing Anthropic for refusing to allow unrestricted use of its technology in warfare, a victory for the AI start-up in its row with the Pentagon.
Judge Rita Lin of the Northern District of California said the “financial and reputational harm” to Anthropic resulting from the US government designating it a supply chain risk — a national security measure normally reserved for businesses linked to foreign adversaries — could “cripple” the company. She temporarily barred US agencies from implementing the designation.
The decision, which will probably be appealed by the Trump administration, comes weeks after negotiations between the Pentagon and Anthropic broke down following the company’s refusal to have its AI used for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.