Feb 25 (Reuters) -

The Pentagon is reaching out to defense contractors to

assess their reliance on artificial ​intelligence lab Anthropic's

services, a source ‌familiar with the matter told Reuters on

Wednesday, ahead of ⁠a Friday

deadline

for the AI firm to respond ⁠to the government.

Reuters reported on ‌Tuesday that ‌Anthropic has no

intention of easing its usage restrictions for ​military

purposes, and talks continue ‌after a meeting between the AI

firm's CEO and U.S. Defense Secretary ​Pete Hegseth to ​discuss

its future ‌with the Pentagon.

Axios reported earlier on Wednesday the Pentagon has

asked defense contractors Boeing ( BA ) ⁠and Lockheed Martin ( LMT )

to provide an assessment ⁠of their reliance on Anthropic,

a first step toward a potential designation of the AI firm as a

"supply chain risk."

"Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) ⁠has ‌been contacted by the Department of

War ‌regarding an analysis of its exposure ⁠and reliance on

Anthropic ahead of a potential supply chain risk declaration," a

Lockheed spokesperson told Axios. Boeing ( BA ) declined to comment to

Axios.

Boeing ( BA ) and Lockheed did not immediately respond to

Reuters' requests for comment.

The ​Pentagon also did not reply to a Reuters request for

comment.