| The Pentagon has struck agreements with more technology companies for expanded use of advanced artificial intelligence tools on classified military networks, according to a Defense Department statement and two defense officials briefed on the matter. Nvidia Corp., Microsoft Corp., Reflection AI Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. have all newly struck agreements with the US Defense Department "for lawful operational use," according to the statement. The officials asked not to be named to discuss internal discussions. On Friday, the Pentagon posted on X that Oracle Corp. had also joined the roster of technology companies that had agreed to deploy their AI tools on classified networks. The deals provide the Pentagon with wide leeway to potentially use powerful advanced AI technologies for secret combat operations, such as assisting with targeting. The new terms of usage, including "lawful operational use," substantially water down some of the limits sought by Anthropic PBC that torpedoed its pact with the Pentagon earlier this year. Many of the technology companies already provide AI tools to the US military, but defense officials have been seeking to expand the terms of use since the fall of 2025. Other technology companies that have recently agreed to similar deals include SpaceX, OpenAI and Google. Oracle's shares jumped 6.5% to $171.83 on Friday. "These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force," according to the Defense Department statement, which refers to the technology companies involved and which also marks the first official Pentagon confirmation of a new accord with Google reported earlier this week. The effort to deliver new deals with technology companies for maximalist military use of advanced AI comes as the Pentagon is racing to develop viable alternatives to Anthropic's Claude tool. An acrimonious fracture between Anthropic and senior defense officials exposed a recurring fault line between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley over the looming risks of AI at war. "This agreement reflects a shared commitment between the Department of War and Oracle to help ensure that the United States leads decisively in artificial intelligence, as a matter of ongoing global leadership and national security," Kim Lynch, executive vice president of Oracle Government, Defense & Intelligence, said in a statement. "By bringing advanced AI into classified environments, we are translating innovation into operational advantage where and when it matters most." ALSO READ: 'Limited Defence Against Ballistic Missiles': What Pentagon Said In Senate Hearing Amid Iran War The Pentagon negotiated its agreement with Amazon Web Services late into Thursday, according to two Pentagon officials briefed on the talks. AWS has been committed to supporting the US military for more than a decade, said Tim Barrett, an AWS spokesperson, when asked to comment on the new deal. "We look forward to continuing to support the Department of War's modernization efforts, building AI solutions that help them accomplish their critical missions." Nvidia didn't immediately provide comment, and a Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment. A representative for Reflection wasn't immediately available for comment. The Pentagon refused to heed Anthropic's stated red lines seeking to limit how the US military can use AI in classified operations during recent renegotiations and sought to eject the company from all defense supply lines. The company didn't want its technology used for mass domestic surveillance of US citizens or for fully autonomous weapons systems. Since the fallout with Anthropic, the Pentagon has accelerated its efforts to bring on other AI companies to agree to expanded usage terms for their models and infrastructure on secret and top-secret networks. In addition, defense officials are seeking to ensure the US military avoids depending on any one single company or set of limitations, according to one of the Pentagon officials briefed on the talks. Nvidia's new agreement, for instance, gives far greater license to the Pentagon than the terms of use in previous AI deals. The company has agreed not to impose any usage policies or model licenses that would restrict the Defense Department's use of its models beyond what is required by US law and constitutional authority, according to a person familiar with the agreement, who asked not to be named to discuss sensitive matters. Nvidia agreed to provide "full and effective use of their capabilities in support of Department missions," including for autonomous weapons systems development, according to the person. The Department's use of any Nvidia models, weights or other capabilities will be consistent with the civil liberties and constitutional rights of Americans under law, the person said, a commitment that stops short of any clearly stipulated monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit. News for You
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