Enrique Abeyta:

Pentagon Threatens To Make Anthropic a Pariah if It Refuses To Drop AI Guardrails

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei a Friday deadline to comply with demands to peel back safeguards on its AI model or risk losing a Pentagon contract.

He also threatened to put the AI company on what could amount to a government blacklist.

At issue is the guardrails Anthropic placed on its AI model Claude. The Pentagon, which has a $200 million contract with Anthropic, wants the company to lift its restrictions for the military to be able to use the model for “all lawful use."

But Anthropic has concerns over two issues that it isn’t willing to drop: AI-controlled weapons and mass domestic surveillance of American citizens. According to one source familiar, Anthropic believes AI is not reliable enough to operate weapons, and there are no laws or regulations yet that cover how AI could be used in mass surveillance.

The Pentagon reportedly plans to terminate Anthropic’s contract by Friday if the company does not agree to its terms. And if it doesn’t, Hegseth will ensure “the Defense Production Act is invoked on Anthropic, compelling them to be used by the Pentagon regardless of if they want to or not.”

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James Altucher:

Martin Shkreli: From Most Hated Man to Optical Computing Visionary – Curiosity & Defiance

Martin Shkreli became one of the most controversial figures in business history – labeled “the most hated man in America,” prosecuted, imprisoned, and publicly vilified. In this episode of The James Altucher Show, Shkreli tells his side of the story.

Part 1 focuses on how media narratives form, why conviction and risk-taking matter in entrepreneurship, and the deeper mechanics behind the pharmaceutical controversy that made him famous. Shkreli explains the economics of drug pricing, insurance systems, neglected medications, and why public perception diverged so dramatically from what patients actually experienced.

The episode also explores learning across disciplines, intellectual courage, prosecutors’ incentives, and how public scandals evolve into legal consequences.

Whether you agree with Shkreli or not, the discussion raises uncomfortable questions about business, regulation, media, and reputation. Click the link below to hear Part 1.

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Greg Guenthner:

Bitcoin Snaps Losing Streak With 5% Jump Before Nvidia Results

Bitcoin climbed back above the $67,000 level, snapping a three-session losing streak as stocks posted modest gains and broader risk sentiment improved ahead of Nvidia Corp.’s earnings report.

The largest cryptocurrency climbed more than 5% to roughly $67,300 in New York morning trading, marking its biggest intraday gain since Feb. 13 as technology stocks led a tentative rebound across risk assets. Ether rose roughly 9% to around $2,020.

Smaller tokens also advanced with Solana gaining nearly 10%, while XRP rose more than 6%.

“The move higher likely reflects some dip-buying behavior after the extended selloff,” said Caroline Mauron, co-founder of Orbit Markets, adding that Bitcoin reaching $70,000 would shift the narrative.

A modest relief rally took hold after a benign State of the Union address from President Donald Trump. Traders are now turning their focus to Nvidia, which is expected to report earnings after the stock market’s close. As a barometer for the AI-fueled trade, results from the most valuable company in the world have the power to sway the mood across markets.