DoD strikes deals with major tech firms to deploy AI on classified networks

The Defense Department has struck agreements with some of the nation’s largest technology companies to deploy their advanced artificial intelligence capabilities on its classified networks, part of a broader push to accelerate the military’s adoption of AI.

SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and Reflection will integrate their AI capabilities into the department’s Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 network environments. IL6 is used for the storage and processing of information classified up to the secret level, while IL7 supports highly restricted data. 

Following the initial announcement Friday morning, DoD said that Oracle has also “agreed to join the list of AI companies,” bringing the total number of participating companies to eight.

“These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force and will strengthen our warfighters’ ability to maintain decision superiority across all domains of warfare,” the department said in a statement.

These AI capabilities will “streamline data synthesis, elevate situational understanding and augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments,” according to the Defense Department.

The deal with the companies comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continues his push to bring commercial AI into the Defense Department, following the launch of the GenAI.mil platform in December. While the initial rollout featured Google’s Gemini model, which can be used for sensitive but unclassified data, Andrew Mapes, the acting principal deputy chief digital and AI officer, said the department plans to introduce additional models that will be available at all classification levels.

“We are looking to continue to modernize GenAI.mil not just at IL5, but IL6 and IL7 with additional models incorporated in that … continuing to push to bring additional models to GenAI.mil to be within the hands of users, not just the warfighter, but civilians and contractors, anybody with a [Common Access Card] being able to use those capabilities,” Mapes said during Federal News Network’s AI & Data Exchange. “I think within the next few months, we should see additional models come online.”

DoD said the agreements will “prevent AI vendor lock and ensure long-term flexibility for the Joint Force.” 

It is not clear how the department plans to use these new AI tools, but officials said the effort will enable new capabilities across warfighting, intelligence and enterprise operations. 

“Access to a diverse suite of AI capabilities from across the resilient American technology stack will give warfighters the tools they need to act with confidence and safeguard the nation against any threat,” DoD said.

The announcement excludes Anthropic, which was the first AI company to deploy its models on the Pentagon’s classified systems and was later designated by Hegseth a “supply chain risk” following a dispute over how the military can use the firm’s AI models. The status is usually reserved for foreign companies that pose a national security risk. 

The department said the companies will deploy their capabilities for “lawful operational use,” a standard that was at the center of the dispute between Anthropic and DoD. The company’s tools were widely viewed across the federal government as superior to those of its competitors, and military users have been slow to phase them out.  

Emil Michael, the Defense Department’s under secretary for research and engineering and chief technology officer, said Friday the company remains a supply chain risk. He previously said he is “pretty confident” that DoD can quickly phase out its use of Anthropic’s products without major disruptions within the six-month deadline set by President Donald Trump. 

It is unclear when the AI models will be made available on classified networks.

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