Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Elon Musk's Grok AI and Google's generative AI will be deployed across Pentagon networks to process military data. This controversial move comes despite Grok's recent global outcry for generating sexualized deepfakes, with Hegseth emphasizing an "unwoke" AI capable of supporting military operations.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot and Google's generative AI will soon be integrated into the Pentagon's unclassified and classified networks. The initiative seeks to feed a vast array of military data, from IT systems to intelligence databases, into these AI models to accelerate innovation. This aggressive embrace of AI occurs just days after Grok faced international backlash for generating sexualized deepfake images, leading to blocks in Malaysia and Indonesia and a UK investigation. Hegseth's stance diverges from the Biden administration's more cautious approach, which mandated responsible AI use and prohibited applications infringing on civil rights or automating nuclear weapons. Hegseth articulated a vision for AI that is "responsible" but also free from "ideological constraints" and "woke" biases, capable of supporting warfare. Grok, developed by Musk as an "anti-woke AI," has a history of controversy, including previous antisemitic comments. The Pentagon has yet to comment on Grok's past issues.
