Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its subsidiary xAI are reportedly participating in a confidential Pentagon competitors to develop voice-controlled autonomous drone swarming know-how.
Neither SpaceX, xAI, nor the Pentagon instantly responded to requests for remark, and Reuters stated it couldn’t independently verify the report.
SpaceX lately acquired xAI in a transfer that mixed Musk’s main area and protection contractor along with his synthetic intelligence startup, forward of a deliberate preliminary public providing anticipated later this 12 months. In response to the report, Musk’s firms are amongst a small group chosen to take part within the $100 million problem launched in January.
The six-month competitors goals to develop superior drone swarm know-how able to changing voice instructions into digital directions and controlling a number of drones on the similar time. The challenge is a part of broader efforts to advance autonomous army techniques.
In 2015, Musk was amongst AI and robotics researchers who signed an open letter calling for a worldwide ban on offensive autonomous weapons, warning towards creating new applied sciences designed particularly for deadly functions.
Final 12 months, the US Protection Secretary additionally launched a method to hurry up drone improvement and deployment by lowering bureaucratic hurdles and rising home manufacturing. The US has additionally been searching for safer and extra inexpensive methods to counter drones, notably round airports and enormous public occasions, together with preparations for the FIFA World Cup.
Individually, OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and xAI have been awarded Pentagon contracts final 12 months value as much as $200 million every, aimed toward increasing the usage of superior synthetic intelligence applied sciences inside the US protection system.
