The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling in the case of AI developer Anthropic, confirming the right of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and the Department of Defense to place the company on a blacklist. The trigger for the military's strict measures was the developer's refusal to provide specific AI capabilities for military needs, sparking a major conflict between the tech sector and the state apparatus.
Arguments of the Parties and Court Position
The court case files emphasize the difficulty of balancing the risks of using artificial intelligence for military purposes. The judges pointed to two opposing threats: on one hand, overly restricted models can unexpectedly shut down and cause critical operations to fail, while on the other hand, unrestricted algorithms might inappropriately assign targets for lethal military force. According to the court, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have full authority to determine this balance without exceeding their official powers.
Contradictory Data
The situation is complicated by parallel court proceedings in different jurisdictions. Last month, a federal court in California ruled a similar government decision illegal, pointing to the absence of malicious intent or sabotage by Anthropic, which is required to apply the supply chain risk status. At the same time, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed the case under a broader legal standard where proving malicious intent is not required. This has created a legal conflict that both sides have yet to resolve.
Company Reaction and Outlook
Anthropic representatives strongly disagree with the appellate verdict and have already announced their intention to explore further appeal options, citing the precedent set by the California court decision. Despite ongoing legal battles, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously stated that the presidential administration and the company had overcome their differences and were acting in coordination, adding further uncertainty to the situation.
