Pentagon inks deals with Nvidia, Microsoft and AWS to deploy AI on classified networks

The U.S. Department of Defense has entered into agreements with Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), alongside Reflection AI, to integrate their artificial intelligence technologies and models onto classified networks for "lawful operational use." These partnerships are intended to accelerate the military's transition to an AI-first approach, enhancing warfighters' decision-making capabilities across all warfare domains. The move follows the Pentagon's efforts to diversify its AI vendors, particularly after a dispute with Anthropic over AI model usage terms. The AI hardware and models will be deployed on Impact Level 6 (IL6) and Impact Level 7 (IL7) environments, which are high-security classifications critical to national security, to improve data synthesis, situational awareness, and decision support for military personnel. The DoD also noted that its secure generative AI platform, GenAI.mil, has been used by over 1.3 million personnel for non-classified tasks.

(Source：TechCrunch)