Key facts
- Anthropic and U.S. government officials are easing tensions.
- Anthropic is preparing for a potential $1 trillion IPO.
- The Defense Department previously labeled Anthropic a 'supply-chain risk,' barring its AI use in U.S. military work.
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with White House officials in April.
- Anthropic is collaborating with the White House on implementing an AI executive order.
A months-long dispute between U.S. government officials and AI firm Anthropic is showing signs of easing as the company prepares to go public. The relationship had deteriorated after Anthropic refused to allow the U.S. military to use its AI models for domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons systems, leading the Defense Department to label the company a 'supply-chain risk' in March. This designation bars contractors from using Anthropic's AI when working for the U.S. military. The relationship has improved since Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei visited the White House in mid-April for discussions. Anthropic is still challenging the designation in court, while the Defense Department defends its position. A sign of the thaw was the White House inviting Amodei to a planned signing of an executive order on artificial intelligence, though the event was canceled. Following the order's signing, Anthropic stated it looked forward to collaborating with the White House on its implementation. Anthropic employees have also held discussions with National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross about its AI system, Mythos, and protecting critical infrastructure. Discussions also occurred with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding Mythos and potential presidential actions on AI, which informed the executive order.