AI NewsAnthropic vs. the Pentagon, the SaaSpocalypse, and why competitions is good, actually

Anthropic vs. the Pentagon, the SaaSpocalypse, and why competitions is good, actually

12:50 AM IST · March 7, 2026

The Pentagon has officiallydesignated Anthropic a supply-chain riskafter the two failed to agree on how much control the military should have over its AI models, including its use in autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. As Anthropic’s $200 million contract fell apart, the DoD turned to OpenAI instead, which accepted and then watchedChatGPT uninstalls surge 295%. As the stakes keep rising, the question remains: how much unrestricted access should the military have to an AI model? On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into what startups should think about when chasing federal contracts, especially whennobody seems to know what to do with AIin Washington, and more of the week’s headlines. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Subscribe to Equity onYouTube,Apple Podcasts,Overcast,Spotifyand all the casts. You also can follow Equity onXandThreads, at @EquityPod.