The Pentagon has launched custom versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT and xAI's Grok, providing 3 million civilian and military personnel with access to generative AI tools. These tools, named ChatGPT Mil and Grok for Government, are tailored to "warfighter needs" and are part of the GenAI.mil portal.
GenAI.mil, a secure, centralized portal launched last year with Google Gemini, allows Department of Defense employees to use commercial frontier AI models without sending sensitive government data through consumer channels. The official military versions are exempt from the data collection typically found in consumer tech products.
The Department of Defense reports that GenAI.mil has been popular, with over 1.7 million unique users already onboarded. ChatGPT Mil, developed through OpenAI for Government, will offer a familiar experience for chat, files, projects, and custom GPTs, focusing on routine unclassified work such as administrative tasks, logistics, planning, and policy.
Grok for Government, from SpaceX's Starshield AI, is described in broader, more militaristic terms. The Defense Department states it will provide "immediate productivity gains, stronger knowledge continuity and more secure and efficient collaboration," enabling military personnel "to execute missions faster and with greater precision across numerous operational contexts."
These additions are part of the Pentagon's wider effort to use AI to accelerate work and gain an advantage while maintaining security. The Pentagon has also made deals with other tech companies, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Reflection AI, to enhance its AI capabilities.