US defense department awards contracts to Google, Musk's xAI
Empower your mind, elevate your skills
OpenAI, Alphabet's Google, Anthropic and Elon Musk's AI firm xAI have won contracts of up to $200 million each, aimed at scaling up adoption of advanced AI capabilities in the US Department of Defense , the government agency said on Monday.The contracts will enable the DoD to develop agentic AI workflows and use them to address critical national security challenges, the department's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office said."The adoption of AI is transforming the (DoD's) ability to support our warfighters and maintain strategic advantage over our adversaries," Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty said.US government agencies have been expanding their use of AI, driven by a White House order in April promoting adoption. President Donald Trump has also moved to soften regulation on the technology by revoking a 2023 Biden-era executive order, which sought to reduce AI risks through mandatory data disclosures.Separately on Monday, xAI announced a suite of its products called "Grok for Government", making its advanced AI models - including its latest flagship Grok 4 - available to federal, local, state and national security customers.The Pentagon announced last month that OpenAI was awarded a $200 million contract, saying the ChatGPT maker would "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains".The contracts announced on Monday deepen the ties between companies leading the AI race and US government operations, while addressing concerns around the need for competitive contracts for AI use in federal agencies.In May, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren had urged DoD to ensure competitive AI contracting at a time when Musk's Grok chatbot was gaining ground in the federal government.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Tesla is finally in India and that's all that really matters
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The only hitch was that its CEO was still not biting the bait till it became formally known that Tesla would not manufacture cars in India. Then came the dramatic announcement of the July 15 inaugural of the new showroom in Mumbai and all hell broke loose with everyone jostling for an invitation. For the entry of such a big brand, the planning was shambolic at least as far as the media planning was concerned. Disruptions galore The venue was witness to chaos as journalists and cameramen struggled to enter the Tesla Experience Centre at Bandra-Kurla Complex, or BKC as it is more fashionably known, which has now taken over from the once famous Nariman Point as the city's go-to business address. The constant rains led to massive traffic jams and delays but this did not deter those who were keen to be part of this big day when Tesla would unveil its Model Y. Never mind that these were fully built cars imported from China, a country at loggerheads with India even while remaining its largest trading partner. Slapping massive import levies of over 70 per cent means that the Model Y will literally cost a bomb though that will hardly matter to a section of celebrities and high net worth individuals who remain smitten by the brand. This was more than evident at the BKC event when Tesla dominated the social media space when two other automakers, Kia and VinFast, also had significant announcements to make. Come rain, traffic jams or crowd mismanagement, the Ides of July were finally about Tesla. Nothing really mattered by the end of the day. The company representatives at the venue remained tightlipped on specific plans going forward except to make known that charging stations would also spread to Lower Parel, Thane and Navi Mumbai beyond BKC. Also Read: Tesla India launches Model Y at ₹61.07 lakh; full self-driving feature to roll out soon Spreading its wings The next big footprint would be Delhi and neighbouring Gurugram with a similar model of a single experience centre and three more locations housing charging stations. It is only logical to assume that Tesla will eventually expand its presence to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai as part of the India growth plan. Will kits continue to be imported from China? If the US and India agree to slash import duties on automobiles in their new trade policy, will this then prompt Musk to ship cars out of his home country instead? Likewise, if the proposed FTA between India and the EU sees a slash in import duty for cars, Tesla may look at despatching them from its Berlin facility. Musk has of course made a detour to politics even while he had a public falling out with US President, Donald Trump. Right now, there is little love lost between the two and this has led to speculation that the US-India trade pact may not have too much leeway for Tesla on the import duties front. But then, Ford is also working on an India comeback plan and Trump may be inclined to support the company while perhaps urging Harley-Davidson to have another shot in this part of the world. The bigger question is if Tesla will succeed in India with its limited volumes. There is no question that Musk is almost revered in this country as the man who made electric vehicles a fashionable word. Indians are also comfortable with American brands and the country still remains a huge draw for students and professionals. Beyond just a Tesla, there is greater familiarity with brands such as McDonald's and KFC or American comic superheroes like Batman, Superman and Spiderman. Also Read: Tesla is finally here. Will India be able to power it? 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The country's troubled relationship with India has not helped its cause in allowing its automakers to set up base here. Those like SAIC which operate here using MG as its face have already made known that they are looking at a complete exit. Till India and China bury the hatchet, there is no threat of Chinese EV brands flooding the market and ruling the roost. The arrival of Tesla is big news for India since it has been waiting for this big day for years now. It is of little consequence that the numbers sold will be limited and not pose any threat to existing players. The presence of this American brand by itself will be a reason to feel chuffed about.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Tesla drives into India via import route with Model Y costing `60 lakh
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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
No need for more technocrats, IIT Kharagpur to focus on human-centric R&D, says Director
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