7 AI firms cleared to provide tools for classified Pentagon networks

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images By Alexandra Kelley Staff Correspondent, Nextgov/FCW May 1, 2026 11:49 AM ET Industry AI & Autonomy Pentagon Seven leading AI developers have deals to install tools in classified Defense Department networks, a wide spread meant to prevent "vendor lock," Pentagon officials said Friday.Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Reflection, and SpaceX are cleared for Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 network environments, part of a bid to streamline data synthesis, improve warfighter decision-making, and increase situational understanding and awareness.“Together, the War Department and these strategic partners share the conviction that American leadership in AI is indispensable to national security,” a press release said. “This leadership depends on a thriving domestic ecosystem of capable model developers that enable the full and effective use of their capabilities in support of Department missions. As mandated by President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the Department will continue to envelop our warfighters with advanced AI to meet the unprecedented emerging threats of tomorrow and to strengthen our Arsenal of Freedom.”The new AI tools will be available via GenAI.mil, the Pentagon’s central AI platform. In late April, Google rolled out its Gemini 3.1 Pro model on