Google Signs Classified AI Deal with the Pentagon for ‘Any Lawful Government Purpose’
April 28, 2026 – 7:14 am
The Information reported the deal on Tuesday. The agreement allows the Department of Defense (DoD) to use Google’s AI models without the restrictions that led Anthropic to be blacklisted in February. Google becomes the latest in a line of AI companies, alongside OpenAI and xAI, to supply classified AI capability to the US military.
Key Points:
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Deal Details: The agreement permits the Pentagon to use Google’s AI models for “any lawful government purpose.”
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Comparisons: Unlike Anthropic, which included ethical restrictions in its contract, Google’s deal does not have such limitations. This aligns with the preferred model of the Trump administration.
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Timeline Irony: 560 Google employees signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday urging him to reject this kind of deal. By Tuesday, Google had reportedly signed the very agreement they were opposing.
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Vendors: The Pentagon has now signed classified AI deals with four major US AI companies: OpenAI, xAI, Google, and previously Anthropic (now blacklisted).