Key facts
- US forces used Elon Musk's Grok AI to deploy over 2,000 munitions in 96 hours during the Iran war.
- The Pentagon's digital and artificial intelligence chief, Cameron Stanley, confirmed the use of the Grok Gov Model in a court declaration.
- The Grok Gov Model supports vital national security missions including targeting and intelligence.
- The lawsuit against xAI by the NAACP centers on the operation of methane gas turbines powering its data center.
- The Department of Justice has requested the dismissal of the NAACP's suit, citing national security interests.
US forces utilized Elon Musk's Grok AI to deploy over 2,000 munitions in a 96-hour period during the recent Iran war, according to a declaration submitted to the United States District Court, Northern District of Mississippi. Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon's chief digital and artificial intelligence officer, stated that the Grok Gov Model, a derivative of xAI's commercial offerings, supports critical national security missions including targeting and intelligence.
Stanley's testimony was part of the Trump administration's intervention in a civil case where the NAACP is suing xAI. The NAACP alleges that xAI is illegally operating methane gas turbines to power its Colossus 2 data center in South Memphis, Tennessee, violating the Clean Air Act. The turbines are known to produce toxic pollutants.
The Pentagon official asserted that the shutdown of xAI's data center, which powers the Grok Gov Model, would significantly impair the US military's ability to meet its national security mission and keep pace with adversaries. He characterized the data center's capacity as vital to maintaining technological advantage.
The Department of Justice has urged the court to dismiss the NAACP's lawsuit, arguing that environmental laws should not be used to undermine national security. This sworn testimony marks the first direct admission by the Trump administration of using Musk's AI technology in military operations during the Iran war.