WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Friday that it has partnered with seven tech companies to leverage their artificial intelligence on classified systems, allowing the military to enhance its use of AI to support the war effort.
Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, OpenAI, Reflection and SpaceX will provide resources to “enhance warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments,” the Pentagon said.
The Department of Defense has rapidly accelerated its use of AI in recent years. A March report from the Brennan Center for Justice said the technology could reduce the time it takes the U.S. military to identify and attack targets on the battlefield, while also helping to maintain weapons and organize supply lines.
Friday’s announcement came in the wake of concerns raised by Anthropic, an unlisted company whose dispute with the Department of Defense over the installation of AI guardrails has spilled into court. The technology company said it is seeking guarantees in the contract that the military will not use its technology for fully autonomous weapons or surveillance of American citizens. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the company must authorize any use the Pentagon deems lawful.
Anthropic filed the lawsuit after Republican President Donald Trump tried to stop all federal agencies from using its chatbot, and Mr. Claude and Mr. Hegseth sought to designate the company as a supply chain risk, a designation meant to protect against sabotage of national security systems by foreign adversaries.
In March, OpenAI announced an agreement with the Department of Defense to effectively replace Anthropic with ChatGPT in classified environments.
The Department of Defense announced Friday that military personnel are already using its AI capabilities through the official platform GenAI.mil.
“Warfighters, civilians, and contractors are now fielding these capabilities, cutting many tasks from months to days,” the Pentagon said, adding that the military’s improved AI capabilities “give warfighters the tools they need to act with confidence and protect the nation from any threat.”
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