Key Points:
- The US military reportedly used the AI model Claude during the Maduro raid.
- Access to the AI came through a partnership with data firm Palantir.
- The Pentagon is pushing to use AI tools on classified secret networks.
- Anthropic’s safety rules strictly ban using its AI for violence or weapons.
A new report claims the U.S. military used advanced artificial intelligence to help capture former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. According to the Wall Street Journal, the operation relied on Anthropic’s AI model, known as Claude. Sources familiar with the mission said the technology played a role in the high-stakes raid that took place early in January.
The military did not access Claude directly through a standard consumer account. Instead, the report states the deployment came through a partnership with Palantir Technologies. Palantir is a data firm that already works closely with the Defense Department and federal law enforcement agencies. This connection reportedly allowed American forces to utilize the AI’s capabilities during the complex mission.
This news comes as the Pentagon aggressively pushes to get top-tier AI tools onto secret government networks. Defense officials want companies like OpenAI and Anthropic to remove standard restrictions so the military can use the software more freely. While many AI firms build custom tools for unclassified administrative tasks, Anthropic is currently the only major model available in classified settings through third-party partners.
The report raises serious questions about how the government follows corporate safety rules. Anthropic has strict usage policies that forbid using Claude to support violence, design weapons, or conduct surveillance. Even though the software is used on classified networks, the government is still technically bound by these company policies.
So far, none of the major players has confirmed the story. The White House, the Defense Department, and both tech companies have not responded to requests for comment. Reuters was unable to independently verify the specific details of how the AI was used during the capture.
This revelation highlights the massive value investors see in Anthropic. The company recently raised $30 billion in a new funding round and is now valued at a staggering $380 billion. The capture of Maduro itself was a major geopolitical shock. U.S. forces conducted a bold raid to seize the leader and immediately flew him to New York, where he now faces charges for drug trafficking.
