{"id":1907344,"date":"2026-04-28T15:52:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1907344"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:52:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:52:12","slug":"google-and-the-pentagon-sign-classified-deal-to-give-the-department-of-defense-unfettered-access-to-its-ai-models","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1907344","title":{"rendered":"Google and the Pentagon sign classified deal to give the Department of Defense unfettered access to its AI models"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/XfrejMSLDkqyUnuNu7GjwA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/b4ae0140-4316-11f1-8aff-67678d2e3091&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-93e38472-74da-4799-bfe4-2220edee5e8e\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<nav class=\"prestige-breadcrumb relative mx-4 md:mx-0\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">AI<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">Google and the Pentagon sign classified deal to give the Department of Defense unfettered access to its AI models<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:max-w-[660px] md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">A source says the contract doesn&#8217;t give the company any veto power over how the tech is used by the government.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px] lg:size-[48px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/TcQCYKuJU_9Vi2dogRUGcg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/o.aolcdn.com\/images\/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2023-04%2Fbe2dabc0-dee3-11ed-af74-cc21123945d3&amp;compress=1&amp;progressive=1&amp;quality=75&amp;client=hawkeye&amp;signature=b1b4a88b5678acf357d4ca80e15ee9cff64e9455\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-sm\/5 font-semibold lg:!flex flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Lawrence Bonk<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Contributing Reporter<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"lg:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-28T15:52:12.000Z\">Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:52 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden lg:block\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-28T15:52:12.000Z\">Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:52 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-x-8 lg:gap-x-0 mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px] md:grid-cols-[[main-start]_1fr_[main-end_right-start]_min-content_[right-end]] lg:!gap-x-8\">\n<div class=\"md:col-main\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round left-1\/2 w-screen -translate-x-1\/2 md:left-0 md:w-auto md:translate-x-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/1OhVmFvnzxqManhmXYJ3Jg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/b4ae0140-4316-11f1-8aff-67678d2e3091\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Google has signed a deal that allows the US Department of Defense to use its AI models for &#8220;any lawful government purpose.&#8221; This is according to a report by <em>The Information<\/em>, which also notes that the full details of the contract are classified.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">An anonymous source within the company has suggested that the two entities have agreed that the search giant&#8217;s AI tech shouldn&#8217;t be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons &#8220;without appropriate human oversight and control.&#8221; However, the contract also reportedly doesn&#8217;t give Google &#8220;any right to control or veto&#8221; anything the government decides to do. In other words, the famously trustworthy US government will just have to be taken at its word.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">\u201cWe believe that providing API access to our commercial models, including on Google infrastructure, with industry-standard practices and terms, represents a responsible approach to supporting national security,\u201d a Google spokesperson told <em>Reuters<\/em>. The spokesperson also echoed that the company holds the opinion that AI shouldn&#8217;t be used for mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight. Some might argue that the technology shouldn&#8217;t be used for that stuff at all, oversight or not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">To that end, nearly 600 Google employees just penned an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai to urge the company against making this kind of deal with the Pentagon. This stems from concerns that the tech would be used in &#8220;inhumane or extremely harmful ways.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_nh9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_17h9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">&#8220;Human lives are already being lost and civil liberties put at risk at home and abroad from misuses of the technology we are playing a key role in building,&#8221; the letter states. &#8220;As people working on AI, we know that these systems can centralize power and that they do make mistakes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Google will join OpenAI and Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI in this endeavor, as they both have made classified AI deals with the US government. Anthropic had a deal in place, but refused the government&#8217;s demands to remove weapon and surveillance-related safeguards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">That refusal annoyed President Trump and the Pentagon so much that Anthropic was entirely blacklisted from federal use. This doesn&#8217;t exactly sound like the actions of a government that is dedicated to &#8220;appropriate human oversight and control&#8221; of dangerous AI military tech. Engadget has reached out to Google to ask for more specifics and will update this post when we hear back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"commerce col-body\" data-pw=\"disclosure\">\n<div class=\"mb-7 flex items-center rounded-lg p-3 p-5 w-fit flex-col md:flex-row\">\n<p class=\"text-[12px] text-battleship dark:text-gandalf md:text-[13px]\">If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"md:col-main grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible md:hidden\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Google has signed a deal that allows the US Department of Defense to use its AI models for &#8220;any lawful government purpose.&#8221; This is according to a report by <em>The Information<\/em>, which also notes that the full details of the contract are classified.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">An anonymous source within the company has suggested that the two entities have agreed that the search giant&#8217;s AI tech shouldn&#8217;t be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons &#8220;without appropriate human oversight and control.&#8221; However, the contract also reportedly doesn&#8217;t give Google &#8220;any right to control or veto&#8221; anything the government decides to do. In other words, the famously trustworthy US government will just have to be taken at its word.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">\u201cWe believe that providing API access to our commercial models, including on Google infrastructure, with industry-standard practices and terms, represents a responsible approach to supporting national security,\u201d a Google spokesperson told <em>Reuters<\/em>. The spokesperson also echoed that the company holds the opinion that AI shouldn&#8217;t be used for mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight. Some might argue that the technology shouldn&#8217;t be used for that stuff at all, oversight or not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">To that end, nearly 600 Google employees just penned an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai to urge the company against making this kind of deal with the Pentagon. This stems from concerns that the tech would be used in &#8220;inhumane or extremely harmful ways.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_nh9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_17h9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">&#8220;Human lives are already being lost and civil liberties put at risk at home and abroad from misuses of the technology we are playing a key role in building,&#8221; the letter states. &#8220;As people working on AI, we know that these systems can centralize power and that they do make mistakes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Google will join OpenAI and Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI in this endeavor, as they both have made classified AI deals with the US government. Anthropic had a deal in place, but refused the government&#8217;s demands to remove weapon and surveillance-related safeguards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">That refusal annoyed President Trump and the Pentagon so much that Anthropic was entirely blacklisted from federal use. This doesn&#8217;t exactly sound like the actions of a government that is dedicated to &#8220;appropriate human oversight and control&#8221; of dangerous AI military tech. Engadget has reached out to Google to ask for more specifics and will update this post when we hear back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/ai\/google-and-the-pentagon-sign-classified-deal-to-give-the-department-of-defense-unfettered-access-to-its-ai-models-155211834.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/XfrejMSLDkqyUnuNu7GjwA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/b4ae0140-4316-11f1-8aff-67678d2e3091&#8243;] AI Google and the Pentagon sign classified deal to give the Department of Defense unfettered access to its AI models A source says the contract doesn&#8217;t give the company any veto power over how the tech is used by the government. Lawrence Bonk Contributing Reporter Tue, April 28, 2026 at 3:52 PM [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1907344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1907344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907344\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1907344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1907344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1907344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}