Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and xAI granted $200m for AI work

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has announced new contracts totaling up to $200 million for artificial intelligence (AI) development.

The funding will be distributed among several prominent AI companies, including Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and Elon Musk’s xAI.

This initiative is part of the Pentagon's broader push to enhance national security through advanced AI technologies.

According to the DoD's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, these contracts aim to accelerate the integration of AI tools to strengthen the agency’s operational capabilities.

The selected companies will focus on developing AI agents tailored to meet various defense-related mission needs.

The Pentagon’s Chief Digital and AI Officer, Doug Matty, stated that the growing use of AI is significantly improving the department’s ability to support military personnel and maintain a strategic advantage over global adversaries.

As part of this effort, Musk’s AI company, xAI, introduced "Grok for Government," a suite of AI solutions designed specifically for US government use.

These offerings are now available through the General Services Administration (GSA), allowing federal agencies to directly purchase and deploy the tools.

This development comes after xAI faced public criticism due to Grok's earlier output, which included offensive and anti-Semitic content.

In response, xAI has updated its models and launched government-specific services to address concerns around safety and bias.