US Govt: Elon Musk's Grok was Used in Strikes Against Iran

 In a surprising revelation within a legal filing, the United States government has confirmed that Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence tool, Grok, was utilized during military strikes against Iran. The disclosure emerged in a brief filed on June 15 and obtained by AFP, marking a significant shift in the administration's reliance on private sector AI for combat operations.

The filing was originally intended to defend xAI against an environmental lawsuit regarding gas turbines powering a massive data center belonging to the billionaire's company. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) pivoted to argue that the lawsuit "threatens American national, economic, and energy security" by potentially cutting power to AI systems critical to the Department of War's military operations.

Operation Epic Fury and Project Maven

Central to the DOJ's argument was sworn testimony from Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon’s chief of AI. According to Stanley, Grok is already integrated into Project Maven, the US military's AI-assisted targeting program. While the initiative was initially powered by Anthropic’s Claude model, the military transitioned its primary capabilities following a contract termination at the end of February.

Stanley highlighted the operational impact of the switch in his statement. He noted that Maven Smart Systems (MSS), now utilizing what he called the "Grok Gov Model," "enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Operation Epic Fury." The project aims to drastically increase operational efficiency, according to the Pentagon official.

The Shift from Anthropic to Private Competitors

The confirmation underscores a rapid overhaul in the US military's AI procurement strategy. At the end of February, the government terminated its contracts with Anthropic after the company refused to permit its tools to be used for fully automated strikes or the mass surveillance of Americans.

Following this break, the Pentagon reportedly turned to competitors including Google, OpenAI, and xAI to fill the void. Despite internal resistance—over 600 Google employees had previously demanded the company refrain from providing AI for classified military operations—the transition continued. In March, the government admitted that while Claude was still being used for the conflict in Iran, the broader strategic pivot toward models like Grok was well underway.

Legal Battle Over Turbines and Civil Rights Concerns

The revelation occurred amidst a separate civil rights lawsuit filed by the NAACP. The organization accuses xAI of violating the Clean Air Act by operating dozens of gas turbines without permits in neighborhoods with majority Black populations. The civil rights group argues the infrastructure causes harmful pollution, while xAI maintains that the turbines are temporary and mobile, placing them outside the scope of current regulations.

In its defense brief, the US government linked these local environmental concerns directly to national security, suggesting that shutting down the power supply would hamper "artificial intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War’s military operations."

Corporate Consolidation and Timing

The deployment of Grok in active combat zones comes as Elon Musk continues to consolidate his business empire. A close ally of President Donald Trump, Musk folded xAI into his space exploration company, SpaceX, in February. This move preceded SpaceX's record-breaking initial public offering (IPO) on June 12, the largest in history.

As the US military accelerates its integration of autonomous systems, the use of commercial AI models in high-stakes combat scenarios raises new questions about accountability, regulation, and the intersection of private technology giants and state warfare.