Photo: IMEN BEN YOUSSEF / AFP / Getty Images
A federal judge has ruled that the administration of President Trump acted unlawfully when it blacklisted the artificial intelligence company Anthropic from working with the federal government. The decision, made on Thursday (August 27), concluded that the administration's actions were retaliatory after Anthropic publicly discussed how its AI model should be used by the government.
The judge, Rita F. Lin of the District Court for the Northern District of California, stated that the "empty invocation of national security is not a blank check to punish and retaliate against government critics." According to NPR, the ruling follows a preliminary injunction issued in March that temporarily halted the Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a "supply chain risk."
Anthropic, founded in 2021, had been labeled a security risk after expressing concerns about the use of its AI model, Claude, for autonomous weapons and surveillance. The company argued that the designation was a form of illegal retaliation, violating its First Amendment rights. The judge agreed, stating that the measures seemed designed to punish Anthropic rather than address national security concerns.
Reuters reports that the ruling could have broader implications for how the government engages with tech companies. Anthropic welcomed the decision, expressing gratitude for the court's swift action and emphasizing its commitment to working productively with the government to ensure safe AI usage.
The Pentagon had previously praised Anthropic as a partner, but the relationship soured after the company raised concerns about the potential misuse of its technology. The ruling may impact ongoing legal battles, including a separate case in the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C.