Elon Musk’s Grok AI used in US military operations against Iran, government filing reveals

• A US government filing says Elon Musk's Grok AI is being used in Project Maven, the military's AI-powered targeting system.

• Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley said the technology helped improve operational efficiency during military operations that targeted thousands of locations.

• The disclosure emerged in a legal battle over xAI's data centre, while concerns continue to grow about the use of AI in warfare and national security.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has reportedly been used by the United States military during operations targeting Iran, according to a newly disclosed government legal filing.

The revelation appeared in a June 15 court brief filed by the US Department of Justice as part of an ongoing environmental lawsuit involving xAI, Musk's AI company.

Federal prosecutors argued that efforts to shut down power supplies to xAI's massive data centre could negatively affect national security, claiming the facility supports artificial intelligence systems already being used by the military.

According to the filing, the lawsuit "threatens American national, economic, and energy security by seeking to shut off the power supply for artificial intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War's military operations."

The court document includes testimony from Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon's chief of AI operations, who confirmed under oath that Grok is currently being used within Project Maven, the US military's AI-assisted targeting programme.

Project Maven was originally powered by Claude, an AI model developed by Anthropic, but Stanley said xAI's technology has now become part of the system.

In his statement, Stanley said Maven Smart Systems (MSS) "enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Operation Epic Fury."

He also praised xAI's contribution, highlighting "the greatly increased operational efficiency made possible by the Grok Gov Model."

The disclosure comes amid a legal battle between xAI and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which accuses the company of operating dozens of gas turbines without the necessary permits.

The civil rights group argues that the turbines violate the Clean Air Act and contribute to pollution in predominantly Black communities located near the facility.

xAI has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the turbines are temporary and mobile equipment that do not require the permits cited in the lawsuit.

The filing also sheds light on the US government's growing use of artificial intelligence in military operations.

According to the document, federal agencies ended contracts with Anthropic in February after the company declined to allow its AI systems to be used for fully autonomous military strikes or large-scale surveillance of American citizens.

Following that decision, the Pentagon reportedly expanded its work with other major AI developers, including Google, OpenAI and xAI.

The increased military adoption of AI has generated debate within the tech industry. More than 600 Google employees previously signed a petition urging the company not to provide artificial intelligence tools for classified military programmes.

Despite rapid investment in AI, the Pentagon's transition remains ongoing. Government officials acknowledged as recently as March that Anthropic's Claude model was still being used in military operations related to Iran.

Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, merged xAI with SpaceX earlier this year. The move strengthened ties between his artificial intelligence and aerospace businesses as both companies continue to secure major government contracts and expand their roles in national security projects.