Bengaluru, February 15: The US military reportedly used the artificial-intelligence model Claude, developed by Anthropic, during a classified operation that led to the capture of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro, according to multiple reports citing The Wall Street Journal.

The deployment marked the first known use of an Anthropic AI model in a classified Pentagon mission and was made possible through the company’s partnership with Palantir Technologies, whose systems are widely used by the US Defense Department. Microsoft Brings Claude Models to Foundry, Expands Azure’s Access to Frontier AI Tool.

Anthropic’s strict usage policies prohibit Claude from being used to facilitate violence, develop weapons, or conduct surveillance, raising concerns about how the technology was applied in the operation. Anthropic has maintained that any use of Claude must comply with these policies and that it works with partners to ensure compliance.

Officials have reportedly considered canceling a Pentagon contract with Anthropic worth up to USD 200 million amid the controversy over military use of the tool. Meanwhile, US defense leadership has signaled a broader push to integrate advanced AI into national security operations, including platforms from other major developers. ‘We Are Well, I Am a Fighter’: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s Message to Son Maduro Guerra From US Jail.

Details about Claude’s precise role in the planning or execution of the Venezuela mission have not been publicly disclosed, but experts say such AI systems often support data analysis, intelligence synthesis, and operational decision-making rather than direct combat functions.

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