Judge Rules Pentagon Illegally Retaliated Against Anthropic

A US federal judge has ruled the Department of Defense acted unlawfully by designating AI company Anthropic a supply chain risk, calling the move illegal and baseless. Judge Rita Lin said invoking national security is not a blank check to punish government critics, ruling the Pentagon had illegally ordered military contractors to boycott the firm. The dispute began after Anthropic refused to allow its AI models to be used for surveillance or autonomous weapons. The Pentagon, which designated Anthropic in February under a law typically reserved for foreign threats, argued private companies should not constrain military action. Anthropic said the designation harmed its business and violated its free speech rights.