Pentagon adds ChatGPT, Grok to secure AI platform

The Pentagon's addition of ChatGPT and Grok to GenAI.mil marks a significant expansion of its AI offerings, which began with Google's Gemini in December. The rollout of that initial version was reportedly hasty, with some workers initially unsure if a pop-up promoting the platform was a cyberattack. Secretary Hegseth's December memo directed all personnel to incorporate AI into their daily workflows immediately.

The decision to include Grok and ChatGPT but exclude Anthropic's Claude reflects a contentious relationship between the company and the department. The dispute broke into the public when Hegseth criticized AI models that "won't allow you to fight wars," a jab directed at Anthropic over its stance on autonomous weapons. This led to President Trump directing federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology, and the department designating the company a "supply chain risk," a move a judge recently ruled unlawful.

The military versions are designed to handle unclassified work, which the Pentagon says is largely document-heavy routine tasks in areas like HR, logistics, and contracting. The addition of Grok will also provide access to "deep thinking-inference" and different levels of reasoning for tasks ranging from market research to supply chain management.