The U.S. Department of Defense has expanded its push into artificial intelligence, securing fresh agreements with several major technology firms to deploy advanced AI systems across classified military networks.
Summary
- Pentagon signs Nvidia, Microsoft, Reflection AI, and AWS to deploy AI tools on classified military networks, expanding its roster of tech partners.
- New agreements add to existing deals with SpaceX, OpenAI, and Google, with the Pentagon confirming its Google partnership for the first time.
- Push comes amid a dispute with Anthropic over safeguards on its Claude models, as the Defense Department seeks alternative AI systems for military use.
According to a report released Friday, Nvidia, Microsoft, Reflection AI, and Amazon Web Services have all signed agreements to provide operational capabilities, the Pentagon said in a statement. Two defense officials familiar with the matter also confirmed the agreements.
The latest additions place them alongside SpaceX, OpenAI, and Google, which had already committed to supplying AI tools for classified use. The announcement also serves as the first formal confirmation from the Pentagon of its agreement with Google, which had surfaced in earlier reports this week.
“These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force,” the department said.
Officials said the agreement with Amazon Web Services was finalized late Thursday, indicating that negotiations had continued up to the final stages before the announcement.
Efforts to build a network of private-sector partners come as the Pentagon looks for alternatives to systems developed by Anthropic, particularly its Claude models. That search follows a dispute between the company and defense officials over how its technology could be used in military settings.
Anthropic had pushed back against requests to relax safeguards that limit the use of its models in areas such as autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance.
The disagreement deepened over time, with the Defense Department at one point classifying the company as a “supply chain risk,” despite continued internal interest in its systems.
Pentagon officials have maintained that there are no plans to deploy AI for mass surveillance of U.S. citizens or to enable fully autonomous weapons. At the same time, the department has emphasized that “any lawful use” of artificial intelligence should remain accessible to government agencies under these agreements.
