Observed Signal · Mar 12, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: CNBC Technology · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Palantir Sticks with Anthropic's Claude Despite Pentagon Concerns
Palantir CEO Alex Karp said Palantir continues to use Anthropic’s Claude models in its products even after the U.S. Department of Defense designated Anthropic a supply‑chain risk. Speaking at Palantir’s AIPcon 9 in Maryland during an interview with CNBC’s Seema Mody, Karp said the Pentagon’s designation has not yet resulted in a full phase‑out of Anthropic from defense workflows and noted the Department of Defense is still using Claude to support operations in Iran. Karp added that Palantir’s products are integrated with Anthropic today and that the company plans to add other large language models in the future as the situation evolves. The comments clarify Palantir’s current vendor integrations amid the DoD’s recent policy action.
A U.S. Defense Department designation of Anthropic as a supply‑chain risk is a major government policy action affecting enterprise AI procurement; Palantir’s confirmation that it still uses Claude and plans to add other LLMs affects vendor integrations and risk management across organizations that rely on large language models.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Palantir is currently using Anthropic's Claude models within its products, confirmed by CEO Alex Karp.
- The U.S. Department of Defense designated Anthropic a supply‑chain risk last week.
- The Department of Defense is reported to still be using Claude models to support operations in Iran.
- Alex Karp said Palantir plans to integrate additional large language models going forward.
- Karp made the remarks at Palantir's AIPcon 9 in Maryland during an interview with CNBC.
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Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Defense Firms Abandon Claude After Pentagon Blacklist
The Trump administration announced a supply-chain risk designation for Anthropic, prompting U.S. defense tech companies and some federal agencies to direct employees to stop using Anthropic’s Claude model for defense work. Venture and defense firms with DoD contracts are actively moving workloads off Claude and seeking replacements; Palantir and other contractors are expected to remove Anthropic technology from sensitive supply chains. Anthropic previously entered DoD networks via a Palantir partnership and secured a $200 million contract to deploy Claude in classified environments. OpenAI said it reached terms with the DoD and clarified restrictions on domestic-surveillance uses. Anthropic disputes the authority of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive and may pursue legal options if the designation becomes formal.
Pentagon Flags Anthropic's Claude as Supply Chain Risk
U.S. Defense Department CTO Emil Michael told CNBC that Anthropic’s Claude AI models were designated a supply chain risk because their policy preferences are baked into the models and could "pollute" the defense supply chain, potentially delivering ineffective equipment to warfighters. The designation, the first publicly applied to an American AI company, requires defense contractors and vendors to certify they do not use Claude in Pentagon work. Anthropic has sued the Trump administration, calling the action "unprecedented and unlawful," and said the designation jeopardizes hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts. Michael said the move is not intended to be punitive and that only a small fraction of Anthropic’s business comes from the U.S. government. Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI researchers and executives, is known for its Claude family of models and enterprise sales, including previous Department of Defense engagements.
US Military Sticks with Claude Amid Contractor Exodus
Anthropic's AI models (branded as Claude) remain in active use by the U.S. military for targeting decisions during the U.S.-Israel strikes on Tehran, even as many defense contractors and subcontractors move away from the company. President Trump directed civilian agencies to stop using Anthropic products and gave the company six months to wind down Department of Defense (DoD) engagements, but the directive has not fully curtailed DoD use. Reporting in The Washington Post says Anthropic systems were used alongside Palantir’s Maven to suggest and prioritize hundreds of targets with precise coordinates. Defense contractors including Lockheed Martin and multiple portfolio companies associated with J2 Ventures are replacing Anthropic models, citing defense-use concerns, while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has threatened a supply-chain risk designation but no formal action has yet been taken.
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