Pentagon AI Dealmaker Emil Michael at Center of Anthropic Clash

Emil Michael, the U.S. Department of Defense’s under secretary for research and engineering, has become a central figure in Washington’s escalating dispute with artificial intelligence developer Anthropic. A former Uber executive, Michael now serves as the Pentagon’s chief technology strategist and has led negotiations with major AI companies over the military adoption of advanced models.

The conflict centers on the use of Anthropic’s AI model, Claude, in military applications. The company has maintained strict limits on how its technology can be deployed, opposing its use in fully autonomous weapons systems and large‑scale surveillance programs. Pentagon officials argue that such restrictions could hinder national security operations and that private firms should not dictate how the U.S. military uses critical technologies.

Tensions intensified after the Defense Department moved to classify Anthropic as a potential supply‑chain risk, a step that jeopardized the company’s defense work. The dispute is especially significant because Anthropic had previously secured a contract worth up to $200 million with the Pentagon to develop advanced AI capabilities for national security missions.

Michael has defended a more aggressive approach to adopting AI across the military, including the use of autonomous drones, underwater vehicles and other systems designed to counter rivals such as China. The standoff highlights a growing global debate over how far governments should go in deploying frontier AI in defense and warfare.