United States reportedly used Anthropic’s Claude AI in a mission to capture former Nicolás Maduro, while CEO Dario Amodei had earlier warned about the risks of AI being used for deadly purposes.
Reports from The Wall Street Journal claim that Anthropic’s Claude AI was used by the United States Department of Defense during a military operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The AI’s use was reportedly enabled through Anthropic’s partnership with Palantir Technologies, which provides tools to US defense and law-enforcement agencies.

The operation allegedly involved Maduro and his wife being detained and multiple locations in Caracas being bombed. However, Anthropic’s policies prohibit using Claude for violence, weapon development, or surveillance. A company spokesperson declined to confirm whether the AI was used, stating that all deployments must follow its usage rules.

The report also said concerns within Anthropic about military use of its technology have led US officials to consider cancelling a Pentagon contract worth about $200 million. The company is believed to be the first AI firm whose tools were used in a classified Defense Department mission, though other AI systems may also have been used for non-combat tasks.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has emphasized building an “AI-first” military force, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has repeatedly warned about the risks of AI being used in lethal operations and surveillance.