Claude AI used in Iran strikes, report says

Anthropic’s artificial intelligence model Claude was reportedly used in the recent U.S. “precision strikes” against Iran, highlighting what analysts describe as the Pentagon’s significant reliance on the system despite escalating tensions between the U.S. government and the AI company.

According to the information technology industry on Monday, The Wall Street Journal, citing multiple sources, reported that Claude played a central role in the U.S. airstrikes on Iran. The model was used at every stage of the operation, including intelligence gathering, intelligence analysis, target identification and battlefield simulation. The newspaper said Washington’s continued reliance on Claude, even as tensions with Anthropic intensified, demonstrates how deeply AI has become embedded in modern military operations.

Just hours before ordering the strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the federal government would suspend its dealings with Claude. The move followed Anthropic’s refusal to broaden the Pentagon’s authorized use of the model to cover all lawful purposes. That the military proceeded to use Claude under such circumstances suggests the system is not easily replaceable. The Wall Street Journal reported that the six-month grace period granted before the suspension takes full effect reflects that reality.

Claude was also reported to have been used in January in an operation to detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, underscoring AI’s expanding role in warfare. Analysts say the character of conflict is shifting from a weapons-centered approach to one driven by data and algorithms. Reflecting those expectations, shares of defense AI firm Palantir rose about 5.9 percent, from $136.93 at the close on Feb. 27, the day of the Iran strikes, to $145.14 on March 2.

Some observers say China, having witnessed the effectiveness of U.S. precision strikes, may accelerate efforts to weaponize AI. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, Chen Li, a researcher at Chinese think tank Anbound, said the United States has demonstrated AI’s power in combat and predicted this would speed up China’s development of domestic AI models and chip infrastructure.


최지원 jwchoi@donga.com