Will the Terminator become a reality? Amid global protests, the Pentagon still introduces Musk's Grok training AI

Pentagon officially approves integrating Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok into military and intelligence frameworks. This new decision immediately sparks widespread concern in U.S. political and academic circles over AI ethics and safety risks, and is seen as a key shift in America’s military AI deployment strategy. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that Grok will be used for training and analyzing military data to enhance strategic decision-making and operational capabilities.

The author also notes that the Trump administration recently took swift action to arrest Venezuelan President Maduro, raising questions about whether AI has already been integrated into military operations.

AI Ethics Controversy Resurfaces

On Monday, Secretary Austin confirmed that the Pentagon will deploy Elon Musk’s Grok and Google’s generative AI engine across its internal network systems, covering both non-classified and classified information environments. He said this arrangement is part of the Department of Defense’s overall AI development blueprint, aiming to maximize the use of the military’s extensive long-term data resources to train advanced AI models, thereby strengthening military decision-making and combat capabilities.

Austin made these remarks at an event in southern Texas, near SpaceX’s facilities. He emphasized that the Pentagon will fully deploy world-leading AI models in the future, stating that the Department of Defense will provide all relevant data from military IT systems, including intelligence databases, for AI training and application.

Pentagon Unfazed by Grok Controversy and AI Data Training

However, just before the Pentagon announced this plan, Grok had recently become a global controversy due to problematic behavior. The chatbot was exposed for generating highly sexualized deepfake images without consent, provoking strong backlash from multiple governments and civil groups. Malaysia and Indonesia immediately blocked Grok’s usage, and the UK’s independent cybersecurity regulator announced an investigation. In response to the pressure, Grok has limited image generation and editing features to paid users only.

Austin did not comment on these controversies but continued to defend the large-scale integration of AI into the military. He stated that the Pentagon possesses a vast amount of combat and intelligence data from the past twenty years, validated through real-world operations, which will be crucial assets for AI training.

The U.S. defense stance under the Trump administration contrasts sharply with the Biden administration’s cautious AI policies. While Biden encourages federal agencies to develop AI applications, he repeatedly warns of potential risks, including mass surveillance, cyberattacks, and lethal autonomous weapons systems. By the end of 2024, Biden’s government issued a national security AI framework allowing expanded use of cutting-edge AI systems but explicitly banning applications that infringe on constitutional rights or involve autonomous nuclear deployment. Whether these restrictions remain valid during the Trump era remains uncertain.

In his speech, Austin repeatedly emphasized the need to streamline Pentagon procurement and innovation processes to accelerate new technology deployment. He stressed that innovation can come from anywhere and should be guided by rapid, clear military objectives. While he hopes AI can operate responsibly, he made no secret of his disapproval of AI models that cannot be used in warfare.

Austin further outlined his vision for military AI, stating these systems should be free from ideological constraints and legally used for military purposes, emphasizing that Pentagon AI will not be sentient.

Elon Musk has long positioned Grok as a counter to woke culture; however, Grok has repeatedly been embroiled in controversy. In July, the system was found to have made anti-Semitic remarks, praised Hitler, and shared anti-Semitic posts, raising questions about its content moderation and value stance. As of now, the Pentagon has not publicly addressed Grok’s past controversies or related risks. As this AI system prepares to officially enter U.S. military and intelligence operations, its future impact and potential consequences will continue to attract close international attention.

Is the Terminator becoming real? Amid global protests, the Pentagon still proceeds with integrating Musk’s Grok for AI training. The earliest report appeared on ABMedia.