Pentagon signs AI deployment deals with 8 tech firms for classified networks; Anthropic excluded

Tags AI · Infrastructure · Security · Enterprise · Policy

The Pentagon reached agreements with 8 AI and cloud companies — SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, Nvidia, Reflection AI, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle — to deploy their technology on classified military networks at Impact Level 6 and 7, the highest security tiers. Anthropic was notably excluded after refusing to agree to the 'any lawful use' standard in its contract terms, a stance consistent with its AI safety principles. The deals are part of a broader Department of Defense effort to build an 'AI-first fighting force' and avoid vendor lock-in. The agreements follow previous contracts worth up to $200M each with major AI labs in 2025. Reflection AI, a defense startup backed by 1789 Capital (where Donald Trump Jr. is a partner), was included after raising $2B in October 2025. For enterprise professionals, the deal signals that frontier AI labs are now actively competing for defense contracts, and that AI safety commitments can carry real commercial consequences.