Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence system Grok has reportedly been used in US military strike operations, according to a legal brief submitted by the United States government and seen on Tuesday by AFP.
The disclosure was made in a June 15 filing defending gas turbines powering a large data centre operated by Musk’s AI company, xAI, which is currently facing an environmental lawsuit.
The brief argues that the lawsuit “threatens American national, economic, and energy security” by attempting to disrupt power supply to infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence systems used in defence operations.
To support its argument, the US Department of Justice cited testimony from Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley, who stated under oath that Grok is already being used within Project Maven, a US military AI-assisted targeting programme.
Project Maven, which integrates AI for battlefield analysis, was previously powered by models from Anthropic, before shifting to multiple providers including Google, OpenAI, and xAI.
Stanley claimed the system, referred to as Maven Smart Systems, enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 targets within 96 hours during what he described as “Operation Epic Fury.”
He also praised what he called the “Grok Gov Model,” crediting it with improving operational efficiency in military targeting processes.
The revelations come amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by the NAACP, which alleges that xAI has been operating multiple gas turbines without proper environmental permits. NAACP argues that the turbines contribute to air pollution in predominantly Black communities, while xAI maintains that the units are temporary and mobile, and therefore exempt from certain regulations.
The legal filing also referenced a wider shift in US defence AI strategy. Earlier this year, government contracts with Anthropic were reportedly terminated after the company refused to allow its systems to be used for fully autonomous strikes or mass surveillance of Americans.
Following that decision, the Pentagon expanded partnerships with alternative AI providers, including Google, OpenAI, and xAI, as part of its broader defence modernisation efforts.
The transition has not been without controversy. Reports indicate internal resistance within the tech sector, including employee opposition to military applications of AI technologies.
The filing further noted ongoing tensions surrounding AI governance, ethics, and environmental compliance as the US military accelerates adoption of artificial intelligence in operational systems.
Elon Musk, described as a close ally of former US President Donald Trump, has also consolidated his AI ventures under his broader technology ecosystem, including SpaceX.
As legal and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, the case is expected to raise broader questions about the intersection of artificial intelligence, environmental law, and military applications of emerging technologies.
