‘Uncanny Valley’: Pentagon vs. ‘Woke’ Anthropic, Agentic vs. Mimetic, and Trump vs. State of the Union
#Anthropic Pentagon feud #AI military restrictions #Defense Production Act #Woke AI #Autonomous weapons #Government contracts #TAT-8 undersea cables
📌 Key Takeaways
- Pentagon demands Anthropic remove AI usage restrictions or lose $200M contract
- Anthropic prohibits AI use for domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons
- Pentagon considering invoking Defense Production Act to force compliance
- Feud highlights tension between tech company values and government demands
- Pentagon targeting Anthropic specifically despite having other AI providers
📖 Full Retelling
In Washington this week, the Pentagon escalated its ongoing feud with AI company Anthropic, demanding that the $200 million contract recipient remove restrictions on how its artificial intelligence technology can be used by the Defense Department, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving CEO Dario Amodei an ultimatum to comply by Friday or risk losing the lucrative government contract, highlighting the administration's stance that military AI 'will not be woke' and must be available for any lawful application. The dispute centers on Anthropic's strict ethical guidelines that prohibit their AI from being used for domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems, restrictions that conflict with the Pentagon's desire for unrestricted access to advanced technology. This confrontation comes amid broader tensions between tech companies with value-based positioning and government agencies seeking maximum flexibility in emerging technologies, particularly as AI becomes increasingly integrated into military applications. The Pentagon's aggressive stance, including potential invocation of the Defense Production Act—a measure typically reserved for wartime production of physical goods—represents an unusual escalation in government attempts to compel private companies to adapt their products to military specifications.
🏷️ Themes
AI Ethics, Government-Industry Relations, Military Technology, Corporate Values
📚 Related People & Topics
Defense Production Act of 1950
United States law
The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 (Pub. L. 81–774) is a United States federal law enacted on September 8, 1950, in response to the start of the Korean War. It was part of a broad civil defense and war mobilization effort in the context of the Cold War.
Lethal autonomous weapon
Autonomous military technology system
Lethal autonomous weapons (LAWs) are a type of military drone or military robot which are autonomous in that they can independently search for and engage targets based on programmed constraints and descriptions. As of 2025, most military drones and military robots are not truly autonomous. LAWs are ...
Entity Intersection Graph
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Anthropic
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Pentagon
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Original Source
Brian Barrett Zoë Schiffer Leah Feiger Business Feb 26, 2026 6:20 PM Uncanny Valley : Pentagon vs. ‘Woke’ Anthropic, Agentic vs. Mimetic, and Trump vs. State of the Union Our hosts unpack the news of the week, starting with the ongoing feud between Anthropic and the Pentagon. Plus: All you need to know about TAT-8 and undersea cables. Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; AAron Ontiveroz/Getty Images Save this story Save this story This week, the Uncanny Valley team dives into the feud that has been brewing between Anthropic and the Pentagon—and what it says about how the government interacts with tech companies. Later, Zoë Schiffer tells us why figuring out whether you are agentic or mimetic has become the new litmus test in Silicon Valley. Plus, we discuss the key takeaways from the State of the Union address and give a farewell to the TAT-8 undersea cables—the ones that made our modern internet possible. Articles mentioned in this episode: Are You ‘Agentic’ Enough for the AI Era? Say Goodbye to the Undersea Cable That Made the Global Internet Possible You can follow Brian Barrett on Bluesky at @brbarrett , Zoë Schiffer on Bluesky at @zoeschiffer , and Leah Feiger on Bluesky at @leahfeiger . Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com . How to Listen You can always listen to this week's podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here's how: If you're on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link . You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts and search for “uncanny valley.” We’re on Spotify too. Transcript Note: This is an automated transcript, which may contain errors. Brian Barrett: Hey, it's Brian. Zoë, Leah, and I have really enjoyed being your new hosts these past few weeks, and we want to hear from you. If you like the show and have a minute, please leave us a review in the podcast or app of your choice. It really helps us reach more people. And for any questions ...
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