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Pentagon Taps Seven AI Firms for Classified Networks

By  |  May 3, 2026

The Pentagon said on Friday it had finalized agreements with seven artificial intelligence companies to bring their advanced technologies onto the Defense Department’s classified networks, broadening the range of AI providers working with the U.S. military.

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    According to Reuters, the companies selected include SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection AI, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services. Several of the firms already have existing relationships with the Pentagon, but the new agreements will allow their products to be integrated into secret and top-secret network environments, expanding military access to AI tools for highly sensitive operations.

    The Pentagon’s announcement notably did not include Anthropic, which has been locked in a dispute with the Defense Department over restrictions governing military use of its artificial intelligence systems. Earlier this year, the Pentagon designated Anthropic a “supply-chain risk,” blocking the use of its products by both the department and its contractors.

    Per Reuters, the dispute escalated into a lawsuit after the March designation, prompting the military to accelerate its outreach to newer AI startups. Industry participants have said that since the fallout, the Pentagon has dramatically shortened the approval process for bringing AI systems onto classified networks. What once took 18 months or more now reportedly takes less than three months.

    Among the new partners is Reflection AI, a lesser-known startup that raised $2 billion in October. The company is backed by 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm in which Donald Trump Jr. is both a partner and investor.

    The Defense Department said the expansion of AI access is intended to support military personnel who already use artificial intelligence for planning, logistics, targeting, and other operational functions. In its statement, the Pentagon said the broader network of providers would help avoid “vendor lock,” signaling an effort to reduce dependence on any single AI supplier.

    Related: US Judge Questions Pentagon Blacklisting of Anthropic in AI Dispute

    Despite the Pentagon’s directive to phase out Anthropic’s products over the next six months, Pentagon staff, former officials, and IT contractors have told Reuters they are reluctant to stop using the company’s tools, which many reportedly consider superior to alternatives.

    AI continues to play a growing role across the U.S. military. The Pentagon said its primary AI platform, GenAI.mil, has been used by more than 1.3 million Defense Department personnel in just five months of operation.

    Google, already a Pentagon partner, recently signed an agreement allowing the Defense Department to use its AI models for classified work, a source told Reuters earlier this week.

    Speaking to CNBC on Friday, Defense Department Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael said Anthropic still represented a supply-chain risk. However, he described Mythos, the company’s AI model with advanced cyber capabilities, as a “separate national security moment.”

    Mythos has drawn attention from U.S. officials and corporate leaders because of concerns about its potential to dramatically enhance hacking capabilities. While a number of public and private organizations have been granted access to a preview version of the system to strengthen cyber defenses, it remains unclear whether the Pentagon is participating in that program.

    Source: Reuters