The Pentagon and Google have reached a deal for the Defense Department to use the tech company’s powerful Gemini AI systems on classified networks, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose details of the deal. The exact content and details of the new contract remain unclear.
The deal follows similar agreements with other major AI companies, including OpenAI and xAI. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has made AI adoption a top priority for the armed forces. pledging to transform the military into “a first-class fighting force”.
A Google spokesperson did not respond to specific questions about the deal, which was first reported by tech media outlet The Information.
“We are proud to be part of a broad consortium of leading AI labs and technology and cloud companies providing AI services and infrastructure in support of national security,” Google spokesperson Kate Dreyer said in an email to NBC News. “We remain committed to the private and public sector consensus that AI should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight. »
The Department of Defense has embraced AI over the past decade, using automated systems for everything from analyze drone images in the fight against the Islamic State group to rationalize logistics and