The Pentagon has signed agreements with eight AI companies to deploy their technology across its most sensitive military networks. Google, Nvidia, Reflection, SpaceX, OpenAI, Microsoft, Oracle, and Amazon Web Services are all included.
The Pentagon’s secret and top-secret network environments will be opened to all eight as all have agreed that their tools can be used for any purpose the military deems lawful. That final clause is precisely why Anthropic is absent.
How a Dispute Over ‘Lawful Use’ Shut Out Anthropic
Anthropic rejected the lawful use standard earlier this year. The company cited concerns about domestic mass surveillance and fully autonomous lethal weapons. In response, the Pentagon designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk in March. It was the first time an American company received that label. As a result, its products were barred from Pentagon systems and contractors. Anthropic sued shortly afterwards.
Its tools, however, remain embedded in some classified networks. The military has given itself six months to remove them. Meanwhile, many Pentagon staff have told Reuters they view Anthropic’s products as superior to the alternatives now available. Many are reluctant to comply with the removal order.
A New Generation of AI Suppliers Steps In
Since the Anthropic fallout, the Pentagon has significantly sped up how it brings in new AI providers. Integration onto classified tiers now takes under three months. Previously, the process took 18 months or longer.
Among the eight new partners is Reflection AI, a two-year-old startup that has yet to release a publicly available model. The firm raised $2bn in October and counts Nvidia among its backers. It is also supported by 1789 Capital, a venture fund where Donald Trump Jr is a partner. Reportedly, Reflection is seeking a $25bn valuation.
The Pentagon’s primary AI platform, GenAI.mil, has already been used by over 1.3 million DoD personnel despite running for just five months. The Pentagon cited the figure as evidence of how deeply AI has embedded itself in daily military operations.
Anthropic’s Cybersecurity Model Complicates the Picture
The dispute, however, has not gotten any simpler, rather the reverse. Anthropic’s latest model, Mythos, focuses on advanced cybersecurity. It has alarmed US officials and financial institutions with its ability to find vulnerabilities in hardened software. Many enterprises have gained access to a Mythos preview to help secure their systems against future cyberattacks. Whether the Pentagon is part of that programme remains unclear.
Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael told CNBC on 1st May that Anthropic remained a supply-chain risk. Moreover, he called Mythos a “separate national security moment.”
Published by Kerry Harrison
Kerry’s been writing professionally for over 14 years, after graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Multimedia Journalism from Canterbury Christ Church University. She joined Orbital Today in 2022. She covers everything from UK launch updates to how the wider space ecosystem is evolving. She enjoys digging into the detail and explaining complex topics in a way that feels straightforward. Before writing about space, Kerry spent years working with cybersecurity companies. She’s written a lot about threat intelligence, data protection, and how cyber and space are increasingly overlapping, whether that’s satellite security or national defence. With a strong background in tech writing, she’s used to making tricky, technical subjects more approachable. That mix of innovation, complexity, and real-world impact is what keeps her interested in the space sector.