In Pentagon-Anthropic standoff, AI is real-time testing the balance of power in future of warfare

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In Pentagon-Anthropic standoff, AI is real-time testing the balance of power in future of warfare

Article Published February 27, 2026

This article originally appeared on CNBC on February 27, 2026.

By Barbara Booth

The Department of Defense’s clash with Anthropic over the integration of artificial intelligence into military operations, and who sets the limits on usage, reached a peak this week with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving the AI company until 5:01 p.m. ET Friday to cede to the government’s demands. Anthropic has not budged, to date at least, but the battle between military and industry over AI is just getting started. The Pentagon is colliding with the private companies that control AI in a way that has not been tested in the post-World War II era.

When critical national security tools are developed by private companies, “the main change is that the government no longer fully controls the development of its most advanced technological tools,” said Betsy Cooper, director of the Aspen Policy Academy and former advising attorney for the US Department of Homeland Security. 

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In Pentagon-Anthropic standoff, AI is real-time testing the balance of power in future of warfare

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