Google has reportedly signed a classified agreement [1]allowing the Pentagon to use its AI models for "any lawful government purpose ." While the deal is said to discourage domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons without human oversight, it apparently does not give Google the power to block how the government actually uses its models. The Verge reports:

> The agreement was reported less than a day after Google employees demanded CEO Sundar Pichai [2]block the Pentagon from using its AI amid concerns that it would be used in "inhumane or extremely harmful ways." If the agreement is confirmed, it would place Google alongside OpenAI and xAI, which have also made classified AI deals with the US government. Anthropic was also among that list until it was [3]blacklisted by the Pentagon for refusing the Department of Defense's demands to remove weapon and surveillance-related guardrails from its AI models.

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> Citing a single anonymous source "with knowledge of the situation," [4]The Information reports that the deal states that both parties have agreed that the search giant's AI systems shouldn't be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons "without appropriate human oversight and control." But the contract also says it doesn't give Google "any right to control or veto lawful government operational decision-making," which would suggest the agreed restrictions are more of a pinky promise than legally binding obligations.



[1] https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/919494/google-pentagon-classified-ai-deal

[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/google-employees-ceo-block-classified-military-ai-projects-2026-4

[3] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/04/09/0010207/anthropic-loses-appeals-court-bid-to-temporarily-block-pentagon-blacklisting

[4] https://www.theinformation.com/articles/google-signs-classified-ai-deal-pentagon-amid-employee-opposition