# Project Meridian and the race to govern military AI

> As the US builds an AI-first military with its own autonomous warfare command, who is setting the limits on military AI, and where?

Civil AI laws such as the EU AI Act stop short of military uses, so limits on military AI have come from three other places: lab usage policies, US executive orders and procurement terms, and slow UN talks. This line follows the US move from 'any lawful use' contracts and the Anthropic fight to Project Meridian, set against the CCW push for binding rules.

## Stops
1. **13 Jun 2024: EU AI Act** (Rule) The world's broadest AI law excludes systems used exclusively for military, defence or national security (Art. 2(3)). [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/eu-ai-act-2024-1689/) · [source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj)
2. **23 Jan 2025: EO 14179** (Rule) The US 'AI dominance' policy that the Pentagon's strategy cites as its mandate. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-eo-14179-removing-barriers-ai-2025/) · [source](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/31/2025-02172/removing-barriers-to-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence)
3. **1 Dec 2025: UN General Assembly backs autonomous-weapons resolution 164-6; US votes no** (Development) 164 states back work toward an autonomous-weapons instrument; the US is one of six no votes. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/intl-unga-laws-resolution-80-57-2025-12/) · [source](https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4095989?ln=en)
4. **12 Jan 2026: Hegseth orders an 'AI-first' military and 'any lawful use' terms for AI contracts** (Development) The Pentagon demands 'any lawful use' terms and new models within 30 days of release. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-dow-ai-acceleration-strategy-2026-01/) · [source](https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4376420/war-department-launches-ai-acceleration-strategy-to-secure-american-military-ai/)
5. **27 Feb 2026: Pentagon labels Anthropic a supply-chain risk after it refuses to drop two limits** (Development) A lab's own red lines on surveillance and autonomous weapons collide with that demand. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-dow-anthropic-supply-chain-risk-2026-02/) · [source](https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/27/pentagon-moves-to-designate-anthropic-as-a-supply-chain-risk/)
6. **2 Jun 2026: EO 14409 (covered frontier models)** (Rule) Washington's frontier-model security order relies on voluntary pre-release access, not licensing. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-eo-14409-advanced-ai-innovation-security-2026/) · [source](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/05/2026-11415/promoting-advanced-artificial-intelligence-innovation-and-security)
7. **5 Jun 2026: Presidential memo orders rapid rewrite of Pentagon autonomous-weapons rules** (Development) The White House orders a fast rewrite of the main US autonomous-weapons directive. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-nspm-11-autonomous-weapons-policy-review-2026-06/) · [source](https://www.gallego.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Final_Gallego-Letter_Directive-3000.09.pdf)
8. **4 Sep 2026: UN expert group agrees final report on autonomous weapons; treaty question deferred** (Development) Geneva talks end in a non-binding consensus report, leaving the treaty question to November. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/intl-ccw-gge-laws-final-report-2026-09/) · [source](https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/presse-et-ressources/decouvrir-et-informer/actualites/organisations-internationales-reunion-du-groupe-d-experts-gouvernementaux-sur-les-systemes-d-armes)
9. **30 Sep 2026: Hegseth launches Project Meridian with Musk, Luckey and Gingrich to plan future war** (Development) Musk, Luckey and Gingrich are asked to define the capabilities of future war in 120 days. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-dow-project-meridian-2026-09/) · [source](https://media.defense.gov/2026/Sep/30/2004009287/-1/-1/1/COMMISSIONING-OF-PROJECT-MERIDIAN.PDF)
10. **United States (federal)** (Country) See how US federal AI policy fits together beyond defence. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/j/us/)

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