Judge Deems Pentagon's Actions Against Anthropic Unlawful

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Defense acted unlawfully by designating AI startup Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a decision she deemed "illegal and baseless." The ruling comes after Anthropic challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's authority, claiming the designation was a retaliatory measure following the company’s refusal to permit military use of its AI technology for surveillance and autonomous weaponry.

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin emphasized that citing national security does not justify punishing critics of the government. Anthropic's spokesperson expressed support for the ruling, reiterating the company's commitment to collaborate with the government to safely harness AI for national security.

The controversial designation, which occurred in February, was unprecedented as it marked the first time an American company was labeled a supply-chain risk, typically reserved for foreign entities. Anthropic argued that the government's actions violated its freedom of speech and impacted its business, with Judge Lin highlighting concerns about the government's intent to suppress public discourse regarding military AI usage.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk