Judge says government's case got "worse" in Anthropic fight
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A federal judge on Thursday signaled she's become even more skeptical of the Pentagon's decision to blacklist Anthropic as she heard arguments over the AI company's legal challenge to its designation as a supply-chain risk.
Why it matters: The upcoming decision will mark the next chapter in what's expected to be a lengthy legal battle between the government and an AI company that's simultaneously helping shape the government's AI safety rules.
Driving the news: "I don't see additional evidence from the government really justifying what it did. If anything, it seems like the record, in some ways, has gotten worse for the government," U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said within the first five minutes of opening the hearing.
- "I don't see evidence that Anthropic could alter the model after it was delivered or flip some kind of kill switch," she added.
- Both Anthropic and the Pentagon have asked the judge to grant summary judgement in their favor.
Catch up quick: The dispute began early this year after Anthropic and the Pentagon clashed over the military's use of the company's AI models.
- The Defense Department sought to use Claude for "all lawful purposes," even in the most sensitive military and intelligence applications.
- Anthropic insisted that two areas remain off limits: mass surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons.
- The standoff escalated when the Pentagon designated Anthropic a national security and supply-chain risk earlier this year, leading the AI lab to sue.
At a March hearing, Lin called the administration's treatment of the company "troubling" and said it appeared to be "an attempt to cripple Anthropic."
- Lin later temporarily blocked the Defense Department's ban, finding that Anthropic had shown a likelihood of success on the merits and would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction.
What's next: Lin is not expected to rule from the bench, and there is no deadline for her decision. She typically issues written decisions after hearings.
- The losing party is expected to appeal.
