Pentagon AI Transition: About 90% of Workloads Moved Away from Anthropic
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Emil Michael said that approximately 90% of classified AI workloads using Anthropic have already been moved to other providers. The remainder is expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.
The transition of AI workloads from Anthropic technologies is largely complete, according to Emil Michael, the U.S. deputy secretary of defense for research and engineering. On September 10, Michael told reporters that approximately 90% of classified workloads using Anthropic had already been moved to other providers.
According to his statement, the Pentagon is to move the remaining classified workloads by the end of September 2026. This is therefore a specific deadline, not merely a general indication that the process will be completed in October.
Pentagon is to complete the AI transition in September
DefenseScoop and Inside Defense independently reported the figure of approximately 90%, citing Michael’s statement. However, no primary Pentagon document providing a complete overview of the systems being moved, their scope, volume, or replacement models is publicly available so far.
Michael also said that work on Maven Smart Systems in cooperation with Palantir had already been moved away from Anthropic technologies months ago. However, the information provided does not make clear which specific models or Anthropic suppliers replaced them in the individual classified environments.
Anthropic was not among the seven partners announced in May
The development follows the Pentagon’s May announcement of AI agreements for classified systems with seven companies. Anthropic was not among them. According to the available information, the Department of Defense is therefore relying on a multi-provider model rather than depending on a single model provider.
For Anthropic, meeting the September deadline would mean losing its remaining deployments in classified military AI systems covered by the announced transition. Michael’s claim itself, however, does not confirm that the U.S. government will completely end all relationships with the company. It does not automatically concern the unclassified use of Anthropic products, other licenses, or all possible government deployments.
The choice of replacement models remains open
It has not been publicly confirmed which specific models or providers replaced Anthropic in the individual classified environments.
The nearest verifiable milestone will be public confirmation from the Pentagon after September 30 of whether the transition was completed in full. It will also be important to see whether the department releases more information about the new models and providers in classified environments. Developments in the legal dispute and any impact on Anthropic’s designation as a supply-chain risk will also be monitored.
Sources
- DefenseScoop – Provides Emil Michael’s directly attributed statement about the 90% transition and the goal of completing the remainder by the end of September.
- Inside Defense – Independently confirms the figure of approximately 90% and Anthropic’s earlier removal from Maven Smart Systems.
- Associated Press – Documents the Pentagon’s May agreements with seven technology companies for AI in classified systems and Anthropic’s absence from that list.
Verified and updated: 09/14/2026 16:42
