Microsoft, Google, Amazon say Anthropic Claude is still available to non-defense customers

Businesses and startups using Anthropic Claude with Microsoft and Google products should not fear that the model will be taken down where it can be reached, Microsoft and Google confirmed to TechCrunch. AWS customers and partners can also reportedly continue to use Claude for their non-defense related tasks.

Microsoft was the first major technology company to give assurances that Anthropic models will remain available to its customers even though the Trump administration’s Department of Defense – officially known as the Department of Defense – has increased its opposition to Anthropic.

The Defense Department formally designated a US AI startup as a supply risk on Thursday after the AI ​​firm refused to give it unfettered access to its technology for applications the company says its AI cannot safely support, such as mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.

The designation of procurement risk is usually reserved for foreign adversaries. For Anthropic, the designation means the Pentagon will not be able to use the company’s products once it moves Claude out of its systems. It also requires any company or agency working with the Pentagon to ensure that they are not using Anthropic models, either. Anthropic vowed to fight his nomination in court.

Microsoft sells a number of products, from Office to its cloud, to many federal agencies, including the Department of Defense. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company will continue to make Anthropic models available for its products and for Microsoft customers.

“Our attorneys have read this term and have concluded that Anthropic products, including Claude, can remain available to our customers — outside of the Department of Defense — through platforms such as M365, GitHub, and Microsoft’s AI Foundry, and that we can continue to work with Anthropic on non-defense related projects,” the spokesperson said in an email. CNBC first reported on the comments.

Google, which sells cloud computing, AI, and productivity tools to government agencies, also confirmed that it will continue to make Claude available to its customers.

“We understand that Determination does not prevent us from working with Anthropic on non-security related projects, and their products are always available on our platforms, such as Google Cloud,” said a Google spokesperson.

CNBC also reported that AWS customers and partners can continue to use Claude for their insecure workloads.

This is similar to what Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in his statement vowing to fight the nomination.

“Regarding our customers, apparently it only applies to Claude’s use by customers as a direct part of contracts with the Department of the Army, not all of Claude’s use is by customers with such contracts,” Amodei said, adding, “Even for Department of the Army contractors, the supply chain risk designation (and cannot) limit Claude’s use or business relationship with Anthropic if that is not related to their Department of the Army contracts.”

Meanwhile, Claude’s consumer growth continued after Anthropic refused to comply with the department’s demands.