Trump Blocks Anthropic AI; Microsoft Intervenes in Court
Conflict between the United States government and artificial intelligence company Anthropic continues to escalate. Following President Donald Trump’s directive to federal agencies to cease using Anthropic’s technology, technology giant Microsoft has now intervened on behalf of Claude AI’s creator in court proceedings.
Microsoft filed an amicus brief in support of Anthropic’s lawsuit against the Trump administration. In the filing, Microsoft requested that the court delay the Pentagon’s decision classifying Claude’s chatbot maker as a “supply chain risk.”
Through an amicus brief, a third party can present viewpoints or information to the judge to help the court understand the broader implications of a case. However, the party submitting such a document does not become a direct party to the litigation.
Microsoft has chosen to intervene due to its direct financial interest in Anthropic’s fate. The two companies recently expanded their technological partnership, including plans to integrate the Claude AI model into Microsoft 365 Copilot.
The partnership also includes a substantial investment from the Windows OS creator to Anthropic, reportedly valued at billions of US dollars.
Microsoft argues that the Pentagon’s decision regarding Anthropic could have wide-ranging impacts on the technology industry. In documents filed with the federal court in California, Microsoft warned that direct implementation of this policy could produce negative consequences for the technology sector as a whole.
Microsoft also contends that the abrupt implementation of the decision could disrupt currently active technology projects, including collaborations with government contractors utilising Anthropic’s technology.
The company cautioned that sudden changes to product configurations and contracts could impede the use of advanced AI in various government operations, including defence sector activities.
A Microsoft spokesperson stated that all parties actually share the same objective: ensuring that AI technology is deployed responsibly.