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<\/a><\/p>\n Anastasia Obis<\/a><\/p>\n \n May 1, 2026 12:16 pm <\/p>\n 3 min read<\/p>\n The Defense Department has struck agreements with some of the nation\u2019s largest technology companies to deploy their advanced artificial intelligence capabilities on its classified networks, part of a broader push to accelerate the military\u2019s adoption of AI.<\/p>\n SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and Reflection will integrate their AI capabilities into the department\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force and will strengthen our warfighters\u2019 ability to maintain decision superiority across all domains of warfare,\u201d the department said in a statement.<\/p>\n These AI capabilities will \u201cstreamline data synthesis, elevate situational understanding and augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments,\u201d according to the Defense Department.<\/p>\n ]]><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are looking to continue to modernize GenAI.mil not just at IL5, but IL6 and IL7 with additional models incorporated in that \u2026 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,\u201d Mapes said during Federal News Network\u2019s AI & Data Exchange<\/a>. \u201cI think within the next few months, we should see additional models come online.\u201d<\/p>\n DoD said the agreements will \u201cprevent AI vendor lock and ensure long-term flexibility for the Joint Force.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAccess 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,\u201d DoD said.<\/p>\n The announcement excludes Anthropic, which was the first AI company to deploy its models on the Pentagon\u2019s classified systems and was later designated by Hegseth a \u201csupply chain risk\u201d following a dispute over how the military can use the firm\u2019s AI models. The status is usually reserved for foreign companies that pose a national security risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n The department said the companies will deploy their capabilities for \u201clawful operational use,\u201d a standard that was at the center of the dispute between Anthropic and DoD. The company\u2019s tools were widely viewed across the federal government as superior to those of its competitors, and military users have been slow<\/a> to phase them out. \u00a0<\/p>\n ]]><\/p>\n