OpenAI Replaces Anthropic at the Pentagon. Donald Trump Strikes at Ethical AI

The Pentagon's decision to partner with OpenAI marks a turning point in relations between the U.S. government and the high-tech sector. Sam Altman, the company's CEO, confirmed the agreement, which includes the implementation of multi-layered technical safeguards to prevent the misuse of algorithms. The new deal grants the military access to advanced language models within secure military networks. The shift to OpenAI occurred suddenly, right after Donald Trump publicly criticized the startup Anthropic, calling its board "left-wing lunatics." The President ordered the company's exclusion from all government structures, which some commentators have termed "corporate murder." Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees, built its identity around the idea of "Constitutional AI" – a system with built-in, rigid ethical principles limiting the generation of harmful content. It was precisely these barriers that became the flashpoint for conflict with the administration, which expects full operational availability from the technology. Although Anthropic declares it will not back down under political pressure, the company has been effectively cut off from the lucrative public procurement market. Paradoxically, the controversy surrounding the boycott has sparked a massive surge in consumer interest; Anthropic's Claude app has risen to become the second most popular free program in the App Store, trailing only ChatGPT. The Pentagon's collaboration with Silicon Valley has a long and turbulent history, dating back to Project Maven in 2018, when employee protests forced Google to withdraw from projects analyzing drone imagery.Sam Altman is positioning OpenAI as a "wartime AI company," declaring patriotic commitment to national security. However, defense experts note that rushing to implement AI systems without clear legal frameworks could lead to unpredictable consequences on the battlefield. The Pentagon emphasizes that OpenAI's technology will undergo rigorous testing, yet the lack of transparency regarding specific applications raises fears about weapon autonomy. This situation creates a new business landscape where ideological alignment with the current administration could be a key factor determining the survival of tech giants. „We are building a partnership that puts America first while maintaining technical safeguards for security.” — Sam Altman Many observers point out that Anthropic fell into a trap of its own ideals. Its focus on safety was interpreted by the government side as resistance to strengthening U.S. defense capabilities. Meanwhile, OpenAI, by loosening its previously restrictive terms of service regarding a ban on military cooperation, efficiently filled the gap. The result is an unprecedented consolidation of influence by a single company at the intersection of civilian and military technology, raising concerns about the monopolization of the AI market by an entity closely tied to the state apparatus.