Anthropic and OpenAI Pursue Lucrative National Security Contracts Amid Human Rights Concerns

Anthropic and OpenAI are aggressively pursuing lucrative national security contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, raising urgent alarms from human rights advocates who warn that deploying AI in military and intelligence operations risks civilian harm, erodes accountability for lethal force, and threatens national security without proper safeguards.

• Anthropic is advertising a 'Head of National Security Sales' position paying up to $700,000 annually, signaling a potential end to its ongoing dispute with the Department of Defense, which blacklisted the company from federal contracting earlier this year.
• The move raises serious concerns among human rights advocates, who warn that AI integration into military and intelligence operations increases civilian harm, erodes accountability for lethal force, and poses significant national security risks if deployed without proper safeguards.
• OpenAI is simultaneously expanding its own national security contracting efforts, hiring sales representatives with top secret clearance to pursue further deals with defense and intelligence agencies, despite earlier assurances about limiting surveillance use.