In a significant development, the US military utilized Anthropic’s artificial intelligence tool, Claude, during the operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. This operation took place last month when US special operations forces apprehended both Maduro and his wife, who are now facing extensive narcotics charges in the United States.
The deployment of Claude was made possible through Anthropic’s collaboration with Palantir Technologies, a data firm whose mechanisms are extensively utilized by the Defense Department and federal law enforcement agencies, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Sources familiar with the operation confirmed this information.
While Anthropic did not confirm specific uses of Claude, a spokesperson stated to Fox News Digital, “We cannot comment on whether Claude, or any other AI model, was used for any specific operation, classified or otherwise. Any utilization of Claude—whether in the private sector or governmental contexts—must align with our Usage Policies, which dictate the deployment of Claude. We collaborate closely with our partners to ensure adherence to these guidelines.”
According to Anthropic’s policy, Claude is prohibited from being employed for violent purposes, weapon development, or surveillance activities.
A trusted source informed Fox News Digital that Anthropic maintains visibility over both classified and unclassified deployments, expressing confidence that all applications comply with the company’s usage policy and are consistent with its partners’ compliance standards.
When contacted, the Department of War declined to provide any comments regarding this matter.
According to the Journal, Anthropic stands out as the first AI model developer to be integrated into classified operations conducted by the Department of War.
Concerns have emerged within Anthropic regarding the potential applications of Claude by the Pentagon. This has led officials in the Trump administration to contemplate canceling a contract valued at up to $200 million, which was awarded last summer, as reported by the Journal.
The potential applications of AI tools extend across various tasks, ranging from summarizing documents to managing autonomous drones, as highlighted by the outlet.
The Trump administration has underscored the importance of AI development, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stating in December, “the future of American warfare is here, and it’s spelled AI.” He emphasized, “As technologies evolve, so do our adversaries. But here at the War Department, we are not sitting idly by.”
