- Google and the Department of War are in talks to allow the company’s Gemini AI program to be utilized in classified settings.
- The proposed contract language would prevent Gemini from being used in autonomous weapons without a human in the loop, but would allow it for “all lawful uses.”
- Get the newest Pentagon AI business opportunities from CIO and Wash100 Award winner Kirsten Davies at the 2026 Digital Transformation Summit this Wednesday—April 22!
The Department of War and Google are in discussions over allowing the company’s Gemini artificial intelligence application to be used in classified settings, according to the news site The Information.
What Is Google Proposing in Its Pentagon Contract?
Google has proposed language in its contract with the DOW to restrict its AI from being used for autonomous weapons without a human in the loop or for domestic surveillance, Reuters reported. But the proposed contact language would allow the Pentagon to use Gemini for “all lawful uses,” according to CNBC. The Pentagon’s insistence on using Anthropic’s Claude AI for “all lawful uses” blew up their contract in February and led to Anthropic being declared a supply chain risk.
The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Digital Transformation Summit this Wednesday, April 22, is the premier GovCon forum for technology executives looking to win more contracts. Hear directly from Pentagon CIO and Wash100 Award winner Kirsten Davies during an illuminating keynote address on how emerging technologies like generative AI are shaping the department. Sign up today!
The two parties are now in litigation over the supply chain risk designation. Anthropic argued being declared a supply chain risk was too extreme of a consequence from a simple disagreement over AI guardrails.
Which Companies Have AI Deals With the Pentagon?
The Pentagon also has a deal with OpenAI. The two parties signed a contract in February shortly after the Anthropic fallout allowing the Pentagon to use ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, on classified systems.
The DOW in January issued a guidance creating a department-wide strategy to grow AI adoption and experimentation. The strategy seeks to help the DOW become an AI-centric fighting force by identifying and eliminating bureaucratic hurdles, broadening experimentations and investments in AI infrastructure, and reducing mission execution timelines.
Why Does Alphabet Want This Pentagon Deal?
This potential deal would allow Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to strengthen its public sector partnerships as the federal government seeks to use AI to slash expenses and accelerate administrative tasks. Google Public Sector in March unveiled its Agent Designer, a novel Gemini for Government capability that allows DOW staffers to develop AI agents to help with unclassified work tasks.
Agent Designer is a low- or no-code tool that allows operators to create AI agents using natural language. This creates custom digital assistants to automate administrative tasks or multi-step processes such as creating action item summaries and drafting award submissions.
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