Artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic has refused to comply with a request from the United States Department of Defense to remove certain safeguards from its AI systems, despite warnings that it could be cut off from access to Pentagon systems. 

Anthropic’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dario Amodei said on Thursday that the company “cannot in good conscience accede ⁠to their request,” referring to the Pentagon’s demand that it allows broader use of its AI models. 

The dispute centres on Anthropic’s refusal to remove safeguards intended to prevent its technology from being used for autonomous weapons targeting and mass domestic surveillance. The AI startup, backed by Google and Amazon, holds a contract with the United States Department of Defense valued at up to $200 million. 

According to Amodei, the department has said it will contract only with AI companies that agree to “any lawful use” and remove such safeguards. However, he said that certain applications fall outside the scope of Anthropic’s agreements. 

Use cases for its AI such ⁠as mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons have never been included in Anthropic’s contracts with the department and “we believe ‌they should not be included now,” Amodei said. 

He further alleged that the Pentagon warned it could remove Anthropic from its systems if the company maintained its guardrails. The department also threatened to designate the firm a “supply chain risk and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards’ removal”. 

“Regardless, these threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede ⁠to their request,” Amodei ⁠said. 

Earlier in the day, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on X that the department has no interest ⁠in using AI ‌to conduct mass surveillance of Americans nor does it want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons ‌that operate without human involvement. 

“Here’s what we’re asking: Allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes,” Parnell said. 

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Anthropic’s statement. 

“It is the Department’s prerogative to select contractors most aligned with their vision. But given the substantial value that Anthropic’s technology provides to our ⁠armed forces, we hope they reconsider,” Amodei said. 

“Should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider,” ‌he added. 

An Anthropic spokesperson said the company remains “ready to continue talks and committed to operational continuity for the Department and America’s warfighters.”