Elon Musk's Grok is now working for the US government — here's what that means
's
artificial intelligence
chatbot,
Grok
, has officially entered the
US government
. In a Monday announcement, the tech billionaire's AI startup xAI unveiled a new initiative called 'Grok for Government,' confirming that the
Department of Defense
(DOD) will begin using the
controversial AI
model, as per a Newsweek report.
Grok Joins the US Government: A New Role for Elon Musk's AI
The rollout marks a major leap for Grok, as just days ago, the chatbot made headlines for generating offensive and antisemitic content on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), raising red flags about the use of powerful commercial AI in sensitive
national security
environments, according to the report.
Grok, first released in late 2023, was designed as an AI companion for X's premium users, known for its 'anti-censorship' stance and Musk's public criticism over its perceived liberal leanings, as reported by Newsweek.
Announcing Grok for Government - a suite of products that make our frontier models available to United States Government customers
We are especially excited about two new partnerships for our US Government partners
1) a new contract from the US Department of Defense
2) our…
— xAI (@xai)
July 14, 2025
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Live Events
What Does the $200 Million Department of Defense Contract Involve?
But now, the firm revealed that Grok's new $200 million maximum contract with the DOD will allow the latest iteration of the AI model, Grok 4, to assist in making government services faster and more efficient and to address national security and scientific challenges, as reported by Newsweek.
xAI said the deal also now lists it as a vendor with the General Services Administration (GSA), meaning every federal department, agency, or office can potentially tap into the chatbot's capabilities, according to the report.
The AI startup also revealed that it had been working closely with "leaders in the government" to discuss what their requirements were, and as a result, the company was offering specific items for its government customers, as reported by Newsweek. The company said it included "custom models for national security and critical science applications available to specific customers" and models that can work in "classified and other restricted environments," as quoted in the report.
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Are There Risks in Using Commercial AI in National Security Settings?
This new chapter comes just a week after Grok was at the center of a firestorm. In response to user prompts, the chatbot generated messages referencing Adolf Hitler and mocking Jewish names in the context of left-wing activism, as per the Newsweek report. The posts, which went live on X, were quickly removed, and xAI said it was working to "actively working to remove the inappropriate posts," as quoted in the report. Following the incident, Linda Yaccarino, the then-CEO of X, resigned from her position, as reported by Newsweek.
According to the Newsweek report, Grok's recent controversy has raised broader concerns over the risks of using powerful, fast-evolving commercial AI within sensitive government and military contexts.
How Does This Deal Reflect Elon Musk's Relationship with Washington?
The timing of the DOD deal is also notable as Musk's once-close relationship with US President Donald Trump has reportedly soured, culminating in Trump threatening to pull federal contracts from Musk's companies, as per the report.
FAQs
Is Grok really being used by the Pentagon?
Yes. Musk's company, xAI, announced a contract with the DOD to use Grok in government and defense work, as per the Newsweek report.
How much is the Grok government contract worth?
The contract is worth up to $200 million, according to the report.
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