Google amended its existing contract with the U.S. Department of Defense on Monday to extend Gemini's availability to classified networks, granting the Pentagon permission to deploy the models for "any lawful government purpose." Separately, Bloomberg reported the same day that Google had withdrawn from a $100 million Pentagon prize challenge to build voice-controlled autonomous drone swarm technology in February, following an internal ethics review.

Google joins OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI in granting the Pentagon broad classified AI access. On the deal, Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley said that avoiding dependence on a single vendor was a priority.

Google's agreement requires the company to help modify its AI safety settings and filters at the government's request, with the contract including language stating that the AI system shouldn’t be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons “without appropriate human oversight and control,” but also specifies that the deal doesn’t give Google “any right to… veto lawful government operational decision-making,” which doesn’t make the agreed restrictions appear particularly solid.

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