Pentagon rolls out its own versions of ChatGPT and Grok for military use

The U.S. Department of Defense has introduced tailored versions of two popular generative AI tools — OpenAI's ChatGPT and xAI's Grok — for use across its workforce. The new products, named ChatGPT Mil and Grok for Government, are now part of GenAI.mil, a centralized and secure portal that launched last year.

GenAI.mil originally offered access only to Google's Gemini model. The portal's purpose is to let Department of Defense employees use commercial frontier AI systems without risking sensitive government data through ordinary consumer channels. Unlike widely available consumer versions, the military editions are exempt from typical data collection practices.

According to the department, the platform has already attracted more than 1.7 million unique users out of its 3 million total personnel. The new tools are part of a broader push to speed up work using AI while maintaining security standards.

Claude's absence

The rollout also highlights the continued absence of Anthropic's Claude model from the portal, tied to an ongoing dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon. The Trump administration designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk after the company declined to grant the Pentagon unrestricted use of its AI tools, insisting instead on certain safety guardrails. Anthropic is currently challenging that designation in court.

ChatGPT Mil, developed through OpenAI's "OpenAI for Government" program, offers a familiar experience with chat, file handling, projects, and custom GPT features, geared toward administrative tasks, logistics, planning, and policy work.

Grok for Government, meanwhile, runs on SpaceX's secure Starshield AI satellite network and is framed in more militaristic terms — intended to help forces execute missions faster and with greater precision, from market research for acquisition staff to supply chain management for logistics personnel.

The Pentagon has recently struck additional deals with tech companies, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Reflection AI, as part of its broader effort to expand its AI capabilities.