The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) expects minimal disruption as it transitions away from Anthropic’s Claude technology, according to DOD’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Emil Michael.
Under the Trump administration, the DOD has been rebranded as the Department of War.
During the McAleese Defense Programs Conference, Michael said the department had already been adopting alternative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, which would help ease the transition from Claude, an AI model that was the first of its kind deployed on Pentagon classified networks.
Michael acknowledged the initial challenge of relying on a single provider for classified networks but emphasized that the DOD had been working to diversify its AI options. He said the department had invited four frontier AI companies, including OpenAI, xAI, and Google, to deploy their models with the military to ensure flexibility for warfighters.
“The idea was to present all of them to the department,” Michael said. “We need to have more than one option, ideally all options, and then maybe you narrow them over time.”
The DOD’s move to cut ties with Anthropic came amid a broader dispute with the company over its stance against surveillance and lethal autonomous weapons.
The conflict escalated after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to terminate contracts with Anthropic. The Pentagon then labeled the company a “supply-chain risk,” a designation typically reserved for foreign entities deemed to pose national security threats.
The Pentagon now has 180 days to remove Anthropic products from its systems, and defense contractors must certify they are no longer using the company’s technology.
Anthropic filed two lawsuits, alleging illegal retaliation by the federal government.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, Michael remained confident about the smooth transition to other AI systems. He highlighted that while different models may excel in specific areas, the DOD’s diverse AI strategy would ensure continuity.
“We’ve already deployed OpenAI in the last few weeks, and we’re going to deploy the others,” he said. “As these models move into different classification networks, warfighters will have many options, and the workflows are very similar. So, the disruption, we think, is going to be minimal.”