'God, It's Terrifying': How the Pentagon Got Hooked on AI War ...
AI Analysis
The Pentagon's reliance on AI in warfare is highlighted by the recent US military actions in Iran, utilizing the AI-enabled Maven Smart System to target 1,000 sites in 24 hours. The US administration's decision to blacklist Anthropic PBC, a major AI contractor, underscores tensions over the use of AI in military applications.
Key Takeaways
- The US military used AI to attack 1,000 targets in Iran within 24 hours.
- The Maven Smart System was employed for AI-enabled mission control.
- Anthropic PBC was blacklisted by the US government over AI usage disagreements.
- Anthropic refused to support mass surveillance or autonomous weapons.
- President Trump criticized Anthropic as a 'Radical Left AI company.'
Why It Matters
The integration of AI in military operations, as demonstrated by the US actions in Iran, marks a significant shift in warfare tactics, potentially increasing operational efficiency and target precision. The blacklisting of Anthropic highlights the ongoing debate over ethical AI use in defense, which could influence future military procurement and policy decisions.
Iran War Tests Project Maven, US AI War Strategy - Bloomberg The AI Race: Borrowing Boom Productivity Panic US and Mass Surveillance Historic RAM Shortages OpenClaw Mania Startups to Watch BackForward Businessweek The Big Take
‘God, It’s Terrifying’: How the Pentagon Got Hooked on AI War Machines
An excerpt from the coming book Project Maven shows how the US enlisted Silicon Valley in its vision for AI warfare, now playing out in Iran.
Illustration by enigmatriz FacebookXLinkedIn EmailLink Gift FacebookXLinkedIn EmailLink Gift By Katrina Manson March 12, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC BookmarkSave On a recent Friday night, the US made two drastic moves that could end up altering the future of artificial-intelligence-powered warfare. Just after 5 p.m. Eastern time on Feb. 27, Donald Trump’s administration declared that Anthropic PBC, the $380 billion startup whose Claude-branded AI products have recently become ubiquitous, was a supply chain risk. In addition to making consumer-facing chatbots and coding tools, Anthropic had major contracts to provide AI services to the military. That relationship had gone sour when the company refused to allow its tech to help enable mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, while the government said it should be able to use the tech for all lawful purposes. With its move, the administration blacklisted one of the country’s most promising tech startups, as if it were something run by the Chinese military. President Trump also derided Anthropic on social media