Was Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok just answering questions online—or helping direct military strikes?
A newly revealed US government legal filing suggests the answer may be far more significant.
According to a Justice Department brief seen by AFP, Grok is already being used by the US military as part of Project Maven.
An AI-powered targeting system designed to assist battlefield operations.
The disclosure surfaced in an environmental lawsuit involving xAI.
Musk’s artificial intelligence company, over gas turbines powering one of its massive data centres.
To defend the facility, government lawyers argued that disrupting its power supply could harm national security.
Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley stated under oath that Grok’s government-focused model had boosted military efficiency.
It had helped support operations during “Operation Epic Fury,” where US forces reportedly struck more than 2,000 targets within 96 hours.
AI Warfare Debate Intensifies
The revelation highlights how rapidly AI is becoming embedded in modern warfare.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon ended contracts with AI firm Anthropic after disagreements over the use of AI for fully automated strikes and surveillance.
Officials then turned to rivals including xAI, Google and OpenAI.
Not everyone is comfortable with the shift. Civil rights groups are challenging xAI over environmental concerns.
Hundreds of tech workers have warned against deeper military use of artificial intelligence.
For supporters, AI promises faster decisions and greater precision.
Critics, however, see a troubling question emerging: when algorithms help choose targets, where does human responsibility begin—and end?
