Pentagon signs agreements with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AWS to bring AI into classified networks

The U.S. Department of Defence announced on Friday that it has entered into new agreements with Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Reflection AI to integrate their artificial intelligence technologies and models into classified military networks for what it described as “lawful operational use.”

“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 department said in its official statement.

The move follows earlier agreements with Google, SpaceX, and OpenAI, and reflects a broader push by the Pentagon to diversify its AI supplier base. This strategy has gained urgency following a high-profile dispute with Anthropic over how its models could be used.

In that dispute, the Defence Department sought unrestricted access to Anthropic’s AI systems. At the same time, the company insisted on safeguards to prevent applications such as domestic mass surveillance or the deployment of autonomous weapons. The disagreement escalated into legal action, with Anthropic securing a March injunction against the Pentagon’s designation of the company as a “supply-chain risk.”

“The Department will continue to build an architecture that prevents AI vendor lock-in and ensures long-term flexibility for the Joint Force,” the Pentagon said. “Access to a diverse suite of AI capabilities from across the resilient American technology stack will give warfighters the tools they need to act with confidence and safeguard the nation against any threat.”

According to the department, the AI hardware and models from these companies will be deployed within Impact Level 6 (IL6) and Impact Level 7 (IL7) environments — highly secure systems designed for sensitive and mission-critical data tied to national security. These environments require strict physical protections, controlled access, and comprehensive auditing procedures.

The Pentagon also revealed that more than 1.3 million personnel have already used its secure enterprise AI platform, GenAI.mil. The platform provides access to large language models and related AI tools within government-approved cloud environments. It is primarily used for non-classified applications such as research, document drafting, and data analysis.