Elon Musk's AI tool Grok was used in strikes against Iran: US govt

Lead

The US government has confirmed that Elon Musk's artificial intelligence tool Grok was used in strikes against Iran, according to a legal briefing reviewed by AFP. The disclosure came in a June 15 court filing defending the operation of gas turbines at a large xAI data centre, which are the subject of an environmental lawsuit.

Coverage Comparison

Multiple news outlets, including Dawn and The Hindu, have reported on the development, with consistent details emerging across coverage. The reports all reference the same legal briefing and the testimony of Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley, who confirmed Grok's integration into Project Maven, the US military's AI-assisted targeting programme. The outlets also uniformly noted the Department of Justice's argument that the environmental lawsuit threatens American national, economic, and energy security.

Key Claims

• Grok in military operations: According to the legal briefing, Grok is already in use within Project Maven, the US military's AI-assisted targeting programme. Cameron Stanley's sworn testimony stated that Maven Smart Systems "enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Operation Epic Fury." He praised "the greatly increased operational efficiency made possible by the Grok Gov Model."

• Department of Justice defense: The DOJ argued in the June 15 brief that the NAACP's lawsuit "threatens American national, economic, and energy security by seeking to shut off the power supply for artificial intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War's military operations."

• NAACP lawsuit: The NAACP is suing xAI, accusing the company of operating dozens of gas turbines without permits in violation of the Clean Air Act, claiming they pollute majority Black neighbourhoods. xAI maintains that the turbines are temporary and mobile, and thus not subject to regulation.

• Shift from Anthropic: The US government terminated its contracts with Anthropic at the end of February after the company refused to allow its tools to be used for fully automated strikes or mass surveillance of Americans. The Pentagon subsequently turned to competitors including Google, OpenAI, and xAI.

• Corporate restructuring: Musk folded xAI into his space exploration company SpaceX in February, and SpaceX carried out the largest IPO in history on June 12.

Perspectives

The disclosure has sparked a range of reactions. The NAACP, a civil rights organisation, is pursuing the lawsuit to address environmental concerns, arguing that the turbines violate the Clean Air Act and disproportionately impact Black communities. Meanwhile, the US government frames its use of Grok as essential to national security and military efficiency, as evidenced by the DOJ's legal arguments. The shift from Anthropic to other AI providers highlights ongoing ethical debates within the tech industry about the use of AI in military operations. At Google, more than 600 employees demanded the company not provide AI to the military for classified operations, reflecting broader concerns within the tech sector about the role of AI in warfare.

As the legal case proceeds, the intersection of AI technology, environmental regulation, and national security remains a contentious issue, with implications for both corporate accountability and military strategy.