Microsoft backs Anthropic in Pentagon blacklist battle, urges temporary restraining order
Summary
Microsoft filed a court brief supporting Anthropic and asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk for existing contracts. The Department of Defense has banned Anthropic's technology and required defense vendors to certify they do not use its models, prompting Anthropic to sue the government. Microsoft warned the designation could force immediate product and contract changes that would disrupt DoD use of advanced AI and hamper warfighters, and noted its planned investment in Anthropic and broader cloud relationships. The dispute centers on how Anthropic's Claude models may be used by the military, with Anthropic seeking limits on autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance while the DOD sought broader lawful use.
