Democratic senators — and at least one Republican — are urging the Pentagon to withdraw its ultimatum to Anthropic, insisting Congress must participate in the debate over military use of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters: The unprecedented showdown between the Department of Defense and Anthropic has largely been a two-party contest. Now Congress wants to enter the fray.
Anthropic on Thursday said there has been "virtually no progress" on negotiations with the Pentagon, as CEO Dario Amodei said it could not accept what defense officials had labeled their final offer on AI safeguards.
Why it matters: A deadline of Friday at 5:01pm is fast approaching for Anthropic to let the Pentagon use its model Claude as it sees fit or potentially face severe consequences.
Supporters of a Utah AI transparency bill are escalating their fight with the White House, taking it public with digital billboards in downtown Salt Lake City aimed at Trump AI adviser David Sacks.
Why it matters: The clash highlights a growing Republican split over who sets AI rules — the White House or the states — just as AI becomes a midterm flashpoint.
Why it matters: AI is increasingly likely to upend how every American lives and works (or doesn't work), yet Washington, D.C. is mostly ignoring the long-term implications.
Some of the biggest AI models aren't shy about using nuclear weapons to settle disputes in simulated war scenarios, a new academic study finds.
Why it matters: Militaries are already using AI for decision support — and research suggests those systems may lean into rapid escalation under pressure.
Supremacy can be fleeting in the highly competitive AI race. But two months into 2026, Anthropic's Claude is upending U.S. national security, roiling financial markets and redefining how startups are built.
Why it matters: The company is in the middle of the most important fight of the era — how much power to give AI in the face of threats, real and virtual.
Congress needs to examine the Pentagon's ongoing dispute with Anthropic over the limits of government use of AI models, per a letter from AI safety nonprofit Alliance for Secure AI, government watchdog Common Cause and libertarian student group Young Americans for Liberty.
Why it matters: Pressure on the Hill to weigh in on the fight between the Department of Defense and Anthropic is heating up.
At the Winter Olympics this year, I added a new title to my reporting job: credentialed photographer.
The big picture: The gig gave me a literal front-row seat to history in Milan. Covering my third Olympics for Axios, it also dealt me a learning curve I had to navigate for more of the events than in past years.
Armed with some of the best gear on earth, I still felt like a novice — fumbling the focus, missing split-second moments, wondering if I was in over my head.
