Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The US Department of Defense is reportedly tapping Gemini for classified projects with minimal restrictions from Google.
- The deal allows the Pentagon to use Gemini for “any lawful government purpose.”
- Inside Google, backlash is building again, with hundreds of employees warning about real-world harm from AI misuse.
The US Department of Defense has decided to rely on Google Gemini for classified projects. A new agreement between the search giant and Pentagon reportedly gives the latter full access to Google’s AI models, and Mountain View will not have any say in how the technology is used.
The Information reports that a source familiar with the deal says the contract lets the DOD use Gemini for “any lawful government purpose.” Google can recommend restrictions, such as not using the AI for autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance without human oversight, but the government does not have to follow these suggestions.
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This decision comes just two months after the Pentagon blacklisted Anthropic, officially due to supply chain risks. In reality, Anthropic would not allow its Claude AI to be used for some military purposes, such as autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. This approach was not accepted by the DOD or President Trump, who indicated Anthropic could be considered in the future, but for now, the company is excluded.
Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon’s chief digital and AI officer, told CNBC that “overreliance on one vendor is never a good thing.” The DOD is now depending heavily on Google, OpenAI, and xAI for classified projects. Stanley says Gemini is already saving “thousands of man hours on a weekly basis” for US military personnel.
Inside Google, over 700 employees recently signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, urging the company to refuse classified projects. They warned, “Human lives are already being lost… from misuses of the technology we are playing a key role in building.”
This situation is similar to what happened in 2018 with Project Maven. At that time, strong internal opposition led Google to withdraw from a drone-imaging contract and create strict AI Principles. Now, in 2026, with OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI already making similar agreements, Google likely felt it could not risk missing out on a major contract and the future of national security technology.
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