The U.S. Department of Defense has signed agreements with eight major technology firms, including Google, OpenAI, SpaceX, Nvidia, Reflection, Microsoft, Oracle, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), to deploy advanced artificial intelligence on classified military networks. The announcement was made on Friday, May 1, 2026.
According to the Pentagon, the AI systems will operate at Impact Level 6 (IL6) and Impact Level 7 (IL7), the Department of Defense's highest security standards for classified data. IL6 covers secret-level information, while IL7 is reserved for more sensitive intelligence systems handling highly restricted national security data. The AI must run on tightly controlled infrastructure with strict access controls, network isolation, and clearance requirements.
“These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force and will strengthen our warfighters' ability to maintain decision superiority across all domains of warfare,” the Pentagon stated. The announcement did not disclose the financial terms of the contracts.
The partnerships build on existing federal investments in these companies, which already hold contracts across cloud computing, data infrastructure, and AI. In its 2026 budget request, the DoD is seeking a total of $961.6 billion, including $33.7 billion earmarked for science and technology and autonomous systems.
The Pentagon also highlighted its internal platform, GenAI.mil, launched in December 2023 with Google Gemini. More than 1.3 million personnel have used the platform to generate tens of millions of prompts and deploy hundreds of thousands of AI agents in five months. The system supports data analysis, situational awareness, and decision-making, and is designed to use multiple AI providers to avoid vendor lock-in.
An AWS spokesperson confirmed the company's commitment to expanding support for U.S. military operations. “For more than a decade, AWS has been committed to supporting our nation's military and ensuring that our warfighters and defense partners have access to the best technology at the best value,” said Tim Barrett, AWS spokesperson. “We look forward to continuing to support the Department of Defense's modernization efforts, building AI solutions that help them accomplish their critical missions.”
These agreements are part of a broader push to integrate AI across military operations. In March 2025, the Pentagon contracted Scale AI for the Thunderforge planning system, followed by deals with OpenAI for ChatGPT and xAI for its Grok AI model in July 2025. Last month, the DoD reached a deal with Google for classified AI work, while the NSA reportedly began deploying Anthropic's Claude Mythos on classified networks amid an ongoing legal dispute with Anthropic over usage restrictions. The Pentagon sought unrestricted access, but Anthropic insisted on guardrails against domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, leading to litigation and an injunction in March against the Pentagon's supply chain risk designation.
“As mandated by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the Department will continue to envelop our warfighters with advanced AI to meet the unprecedented emerging threats of tomorrow and to strengthen our Arsenal of Freedom,” the Pentagon added.
