Trump orders federal agencies to drop Anthropic services amid Pentagon feud (www.engadget.com)

President Donald Trump has mandated that all US federal agencies cease using Anthropic's AI services, particularly Claude, amid a growing conflict with the Pentagon over AI safety regulations. This decision includes a six-month transition period for agencies like the Defense Department to move away from Anthropic products. Trump's statement on Truth Social accused the company of trying to impose its terms on national security operations and warned of severe consequences if they do not comply during the phase-out. This escalation is significant for the AI/ML community as it raises concerns about government control over AI technologies and the implications for innovation and collaboration between private companies and federal agencies. The Pentagon had already indicated it might designate Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" due to its resistance against modifying its safeguards against abuses such as mass surveillance. Advocacy groups warn that this action could undermine the integrity of technology innovation and discourage open dialogues about appropriate AI use in national security contexts. In response, many tech industry employees, including those at Google and OpenAI, have expressed solidarity with Anthropic, highlighting a collective industry concern over governmental overreach in tech regulation.