In short
- The Pentagon has signed AI implementation agreements with eight companies, including Google, OpenAI and SpaceX.
- The AI systems will operate on secret networks at the highest security level.
- The Pentagon’s internal AI platform is showing rapid, early adoption across the department.
The US Department of Defense said Friday it has entered into agreements with eight technology companies, certifying SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, Nvidia, Reflection, Microsoft, Oracle and Amazon Web Services to deploy advanced artificial intelligence on classified military networks.
According to the announcementThe systems will run at Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7, the Defense Department’s security standards for classified data, with IL6 covering classified-level information and IL7 used for more sensitive intelligence systems designed to handle very limited national security data. The AI must operate on a tightly controlled infrastructure with strict access controls, network isolation and approval requirements.
“These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the U.S. military as an AI-first force and will strengthen our warfighters’ ability to maintain decision superiority in all domains of warfare,” the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon said the agreements build on existing federal investments in these companies, which already have contracts in cloud computing, data infrastructure and AI. The announcement did not reveal the value of the contracts. In the 2026 budget requestThe Defense Department said it is seeking a total of $961.6 billion, with $33.7 billion earmarked for science, technology and autonomous systems.
The department said the effort will support its internal platform GenAI.mil, which launched in December with Google Gemini, adding that more than 1.3 million employees have used it to generate tens of millions of prompts and deploy hundreds of thousands of AI agents in five months. The Pentagon said the system will support data analysis, situational awareness and decision-making, and is designed to use multiple AI providers rather than relying on a single vendor.
“As we said when we first announced our agreement several months ago, we believe the people defending the United States should have the best tools in the world,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. Declutter.
A spokesperson for Amazon Web Services said the company plans to expand its support for U.S. military operations as the Pentagon moves forward with deploying AI on classified networks.
“For more than a decade, AWS has been committed to supporting our nation’s military and ensuring our warfighters and defense partners have access to the best technology at the best value,” AWS spokesperson Tim Barrett said. Declutter. “We look forward to continuing to support the Department of Defense [Defense’s] modernization efforts and building AI solutions that help them accomplish their critical missions.”
Critics warn that the Pentagon’s plan raises unresolved questions about oversight, transparency and the potential risks of deploying AI in high-stakes military environments.
“The DoD’s announcement that it has agreed to deploy AI on classified networks raises more questions than it answers,” said Greg Nojeim, director of the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Security and Surveillance Project. Declutter. “How will the DoD use the AI it deploys, and how will it ensure that such use does not result in erroneous decisions with deadly consequences? Will it use AI to further strengthen surveillance, including surveillance of Americans? This announcement only underscores the need for greater transparency about the DoD’s use and oversight of AI.”
The agreements are part of a broader effort to integrate AI into military operations. In March 2025, the Pentagon contracted Scale AI to build the Thunderforge scheduling system, followed by deals with OpenAI to include ChatGPT and another with rival company xAI to integrate its Grok AI model in July 2025.
Last month, the Defense Department reached a deal with Google for classified AI work, amid a report that the NSA began deploying Anthropic’s Claude Mythos on classified networks despite an ongoing dispute with the company.
“As directed by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the Department will continue to envelop our warfighters with advanced AI to meet tomorrow’s unprecedented emerging threats and strengthen our Arsenal of Freedom,” the Pentagon said.
SpaceX, Nvidia, Microsoft and Google did not immediately respond Declutter‘s request for comment.
Editor’s note: This story was updated after publication to add commentary.
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