Pentagon signed deals with six AI firms to broaden classified AI use, after dispute with Anthropic. Companies include Elon Musk’s xAI, OpenAI, Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Nvidia, and start‑up Reflection AI. Agreements let DoD tap their tech for “any lawful use,” a clause Anthropic has resisted. Industry watchers expect the deals to channel multi‑billion‑dollar contracts toward U.S. AI vendors.

Defense officials say the multi‑vendor approach prevents “vendor lock” and spreads risk across the American tech stack. By adding Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia alongside the previously cleared firms, the Pentagon hopes to pressure Anthropic into dropping its reservations and to secure a uniform contractual standard for future AI procurement.

The moves come as the White House pushes for a settlement in the ongoing litigation over Anthropic’s classification as a supply‑chain risk, while President Trump has ordered a cut‑off from the firm. With OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini poised for rapid integration, the contracts broaden the DoD’s AI toolbox and reduce dependence on any single vendor and bolster operational readiness across theaters.

The Pentagon’s broadened AI roster signals a shift toward integrated machine‑learning tools, cementing the U.S. military’s push to embed commercial technology at the heart of its combat systems.