xAI Inks Deal to Provide Military Access to Grok AI Model

Elon Musk's AI company agrees to allow classified use of its technology, raising concerns over security and ethics.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense to allow the military to use its Grok AI model in classified systems, according to a report from Axios. This comes as the Pentagon is reportedly looking to replace the Anthropic-developed Claude model due to a dispute over security measures and restrictions on use for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons development.

Why it matters

The deal raises questions about the ethical implications of providing powerful AI models to the military, especially given xAI's willingness to allow 'any legitimate use' compared to Anthropic's more restrictive approach. It also highlights the Pentagon's increasing reliance on advanced AI capabilities for sensitive national security applications.

The details

According to the Axios report, the Pentagon has been using the Claude model from Anthropic in its most classified intelligence, weapons, and combat operations systems. However, the military is now threatening to end its relationship with Anthropic due to a dispute over security measures and restrictions on how the model can be used. In contrast, xAI has agreed to provide access to its Grok model with fewer limitations, allowing 'any legitimate use' by the military.

  • The xAI-Pentagon agreement was reportedly signed in February 2026.

The players

xAI

An artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk that has developed the Grok AI model.

U.S. Department of Defense

The federal department responsible for national defense and security, which has been using AI models like Claude from Anthropic in classified systems.

Anthropic

An AI research company that developed the Claude model, which has been used by the Pentagon but is now facing a potential rift over security and usage restrictions.

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What’s next

The Pentagon's decision to potentially replace the Anthropic-developed Claude model with xAI's Grok model in classified systems will likely be closely watched by the public and AI ethics advocates, who may raise concerns about the military's increasing reliance on powerful AI capabilities with fewer restrictions.

The takeaway

This deal highlights the growing influence of private AI companies in national security and the ethical dilemmas that can arise when powerful technologies are made available to the military with limited oversight or constraints. It underscores the need for robust governance frameworks to ensure AI development and deployment aligns with principles of transparency, accountability, and the protection of civil liberties.