Which Tech Giants have Signed AI Deals with the Pentagon?

The Pentagon's US Department of War (DOW) has signed agreements with eight technology companies to integrate AI systems into classified network environments. SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection, Microsoft, AWS and Oracle will deploy their technology on secret and top-secret networks.

The arrangement represents a move away from single-vendor relationships towards a multi-vendor approach. Advanced AI capabilities will be deployed on the Pentagon's classified networks for lawful operational use.

According to the DOW, the agreements "accelerate the transformation toward establishing the US military as an AI-first fighting force and will strengthen our warfighters' ability to maintain decision superiority across all domains of warfare".

Anthropic is absent from the coalition. The company behind the Claude models has been excluded following disagreements with the Pentagon over how the military intends to use its AI tools.

Reflection AI, meanwhile, is backed by 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm where Donald Trump Jr. is a partner and investor.

Deploying on classified networks

The Pentagon is set to integrate AI into Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 network environments. These classifications are the highest security levels for cloud computing environments managing classified information.

The eight AI companies will provide resources for deployments at both security levels. The technology could enhance situational understanding and support decision-making during complex operations.

The initiative aligns with the Department's AI Acceleration Strategy. New tools will be enabled across warfighting, intelligence and enterprise operations.

GenAI.mil is the official AI platform of the Department of War. According to the Pentagon, more than 1.3m personnel have used the platform in five months, generating tens of millions of prompts and deploying hundreds of thousands of digital agents.

Accelerating integration timelines

While integrating new technology into high-security environments previously took 18 months or more, the Pentagon has accelerated its onboarding processes to meet demand.

Newer companies now report being integrated into Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 environments in less than three months, with the acceleration designed to avoid AI vendor lock and ensure flexibility for the Joint Force.

Cameron Stanley, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer at Department of War, told CNBC: "Overreliance on one vendor is never a good thing."

According to the Department of War, "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."

Anthropic excluded from deal

Anthropic's Claude model was previously the exclusive AI deployed on classified military networks, but the firm has been excluded from the latest Pentagon deal.

Back in January, the DOW issued its Artificial Intelligence Acceleration Strategy, which mandated an "AI-first warfighting force" and required all contracted AI models to be available for "all lawful purposes".

Anthropic refused to permit the use of its technology for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, prompting a dispute with the Pentagon regarding safety restrictions on military applications.

The disagreement centres on fundamental differences over safety restrictions. Anthropic insists on preventing specific use cases whilst the government seeks more permissive terms for lawful operational use.

The Pentagon went on to designate Anthropic a supply-chain risk in March 2026, although the company is challenging this designation in federal court.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, said at the time: "The Department of War has threatened to designate us a 'supply chain risk' and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards' removal. These threats are inherently contradictory: one labels us a security risk; the other labels Claude as essential to national security."

Anthropic sued the Trump administration following the ban, accusing the government of an "unlawful campaign of retaliation".

According to Reuters, Pentagon staffers, former officials and IT contractors are reluctant to give up Claude tools. Many users view the technology as superior to alternatives, despite orders to remove it within six months.

The Pentagon's multi-vendor approach could mean a move to reduce dependence on Anthropic. By diversifying, the military will no longer rely on a single service provider.