US defense officials are urging leading AI developers to make advanced models available across classified systems with fewer usage limits, as debates intensify over safeguards, battlefield deployment and the future role of artificial intelligence in national security operations.
The US Department of Defense is reportedly seeking expanded access to cutting edge artificial intelligence tools from major technology companies, aiming to deploy them across both unclassified and classified military networks. The move marks a significant step in the government’s effort to integrate advanced AI capabilities into defense operations.
During a White House gathering with technology leaders, senior defense technology officials indicated that the military wants frontier AI systems accessible at every classification tier. A defense official familiar with the discussions confirmed that efforts are underway to introduce advanced AI models into more sensitive digital environments used for mission planning and operational analysis.
Tensions over guardrails and control
According to reports, the push has sparked debate between the Pentagon and AI developers over how such systems should be governed. Technology companies typically embed safeguards in their products and require adherence to usage policies designed to limit harmful or unethical applications. Defense officials, however, have argued that commercial AI tools should be deployable within the military framework provided they comply with US law.
Several firms already supply AI tools to defense agencies, largely for use on unclassified administrative networks. OpenAI recently finalized an agreement allowing its systems to operate on a broad internal defense platform serving millions of personnel. The arrangement applies to unclassified environments and includes modified safeguards. Google and xAI have entered comparable agreements in the past. Any expansion into classified domains would require separate contractual terms, company representatives have said.
Anthropic, whose AI assistant Claude is used in certain national security contexts, is engaged in ongoing talks with defense officials. The company has publicly stated that it does not support the use of its technology for autonomous weapons targeting or domestic surveillance, even as it seeks to support national security missions responsibly.
Risks in high stakes environments
Military planners see AI as a tool to rapidly synthesize intelligence and support complex decision making. Yet researchers caution that generative systems can produce inaccurate or fabricated outputs. In classified settings, such errors could carry severe operational consequences.
The discussions come as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to modern warfare, from cyber operations to autonomous systems, raising urgent questions about oversight, accountability and the balance between innovation and restraint.
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