Microsoft, Google, Amazon say Anthropic Claude remains available to non-defense customers

Source: TechCrunch

Enterprises and startups that use Anthropic Claude through Microsoft and Google products need not fear that the model will be ripped from their reach. AWS customers and partners can also continue to use Claude for their non‑defense workloads.

Background

The Department of Defense (DoD) officially designated Anthropic as a supply‑chain risk on Thursday after the AI company refused to give the Pentagon unrestricted access to its technology for applications the company said it could not safely support, such as mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. The designation, typically reserved for foreign adversaries, means the Pentagon cannot use Anthropic’s products once it transitions Claude off its systems and requires any contractor working with the DoD to certify that they do not use Anthropic’s models. Anthropic has vowed to challenge the designation in court.

Microsoft’s Position

Microsoft, which sells a wide range of products—including Office, Azure, and AI services—to federal agencies, confirmed that it will keep Anthropic’s models available to its customers (excluding the DoD) across platforms such as M365, GitHub, and Microsoft’s AI Foundry.

“Our lawyers have studied the designation and have concluded that Anthropic products, including Claude, can remain available to our customers — other than the Department of War — through platforms such as M365, GitHub, and Microsoft’s AI Foundry, and that we can continue to work with Anthropic on non‑defense related projects,”
— Microsoft spokesperson (email)

CNBC first reported this comment.

Google’s Position

Google, which provides cloud computing, AI, and productivity tools to federal agencies, also affirmed that Claude will remain accessible to its customers.

“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,”
— Google spokesperson

AWS’s Position

AWS customers and partners can keep using Claude for non‑defense workloads, as reported by CNBC.

Anthropic’s Response

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei emphasized that the supply‑chain risk designation only affects Claude when it is used directly as part of contracts with the DoD. It does not restrict Claude’s use by customers who have unrelated contracts with the department.

“With respect to our customers, it plainly applies only to the use of Claude by customers as a direct part of contracts with the Department of War, not all use of Claude by customers who have such contracts,” Amodei said.
“Even for Department of War contractors, the supply chain risk designation doesn’t (and can’t) limit uses of Claude or business relationships with Anthropic if those are unrelated to their specific Department of War contracts.”

Consumer Growth

Claude’s consumer growth surge has continued despite the Pentagon dispute, as detailed in a recent TechCrunch piece.

Claude’s consumer growth surge continues after Pentagon deal debacle