These Microsoft, Google, Amazon customers can still use Anthropic's Claude
What's the story
Microsoft and Amazon have assured their customers that Anthropic's AI models will continue to be accessible for non-defense work. The assurance comes after the Pentagon officially blacklisted Anthropic as a supply chain risk. This designation will take Claude off defense systems. However, Anthropic plans to challenge this decision in court.
Google's stance
Google echoes Microsoft's assurance to customers
Google has also joined Microsoft and Amazon in assuring customers that Anthropic's AI models will remain available for non-defense purposes. "We understand that the Determination does not preclude us from working with Anthropic on non-defense related projects, and their products remain available through our platforms, like Google Cloud," a Google spokesperson said. This statement was made after Microsoft's assurance to its customers about Claude's continued availability across M365, GitHub, and AI Foundry.
Amazon's confirmation
Amazon confirms Claude's availability for non-defense workloads
Amazon also confirmed that its customers and partners can continue using Claude for all workloads not tied to the Department of War in the US. The confirmation comes after the Defense Department formally designated Anthropic a supply chain risk, after it refused to grant unrestricted access to its technology for applications deemed unsafe, like mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons.
Integration
Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are all in on Anthropic
The unified messaging from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon is significant as Anthropic's models are deeply integrated into all three cloud ecosystems. Claude is accessible via Google Cloud's Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock, and Microsoft's AI Foundry. Notably, Google is one of Anthropic's largest investors with over $3 billion invested and reportedly more in talks to invest, possibly valuing Anthropic at $350 billion.
Shift
Some defense tech firms have stopped using Claude
Despite the reassurances, some defense technology firms have already asked their employees to stop using Claude and switch to alternatives. This includes those from rival OpenAI, which announced its own classified Pentagon agreement soon after Anthropic's talks with the department collapsed. Anthropic's consumer growth has continued to surge amid this standoff, indicating that the brand fallout may be limited to the defense sector for now.