Senator Elizabeth Warren Calls for Competitive AI Contracting in Pentagon Amid Concerns Over Elon Musk's Grok

US senator calls for AI competition in Pentagon contracting

May 28 (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure competitive AI contracting, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday, as tech billionaire Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok gains ground in the federal government. Warren's letter comes on the heels of Reuters reporting last week that Musk's DOGE team is expanding use of Grok to analyze data, potentially violating conflict-of-interest laws and putting at risk sensitive information on millions of Americans. "I seek to ensure that the DoD's procurement decisions encourage competition and avoid consolidation that can lead to higher prices, concentration of risk, and the stifling of innovation," Warren, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in the letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday. Warren asked the Pentagon to respond to her by June 9 on its AI acquisition practices, how it plans to avoid getting locked in with a particular contractor, and its safeguards for data collection. "How does DoD plan to ensure government data is not used to illegally train commercially available AI algorithms?" Warren wrote. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The letter did not mention Grok, which was developed by xAI, or its competitors, which include OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. In a meeting first reported by Reuters, Hegseth met Musk and members of the xAI team at the Pentagon on May 21, officials said, the second known time the close ally of President Donald Trump has visited the department's headquarters. The White House's Office of Management and Budget released new guidance, opens new tab in April directing federal agencies to ensure that the government and "the public benefit from a competitive American AI marketplace." The guidance, however, exempted national security and defense systems. Warren of Massachusetts and Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican senator for Missouri who also serves on the Armed Services Committee, recently reintroduced a bill that includes provisions that would also encourage AI competition in the Defense Department. The Department of Defense, with a budget approaching $1 trillion per year, accounted for over half of the federal government's contracting dollars in the fiscal year 2023, opens new tab, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Reporting by Marisa Taylor and Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Mark Porter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence Marisa Taylor Thomson Reuters Marisa Taylor, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, has more than two decades of experience covering business, healthcare, the Justice Department, and national security. As a Washington, D.C.-based reporter, she helped break the Panama Papers, which exposed offshore companies linked to more than 140 politicians. Taylor was also part of a team that exposed the CIA's monitoring of Senate Intelligence Committee staff. She previously reported out of Texas, California, Virginia and Mexico. https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/staff-reuters https://www.reuters.com/authors/marisa-taylor/ Alexandra Ulmer Thomson Reuters Alexandra covers the 2024 U.S. presidential race, with a focus on Republicans, donors and AI. Previously, she spent four years in Venezuela reporting on the humanitarian crisis and investigating corruption. She has also worked in India, Chile and Argentina. Alexandra was Reuters' Reporter of the Year and has won an Overseas Press Club award.

Musk and Grok Need to Compete for DOD's AI Contracts, Says This Senator

(Reuters) -Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure competitive AI contracting, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday, as tech billionaire Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok gains ground in the federal government. Warren's letter comes on the heels of Reuters reporting last week that Musk's DOGE team is expanding use of Grok to analyze data, potentially violating conflict-of-interest laws and putting at risk sensitive information on millions of Americans. "I seek to ensure that the DoD's procurement decisions encourage competition and avoid consolidation that can lead to higher prices, concentration of risk, and the stifling of innovation," Warren, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in the letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday.

US Senator Calls for AI Competition in Pentagon Contracting

(Reuters) -Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure competitive AI contracting, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday, as tech billionaire Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok gains ground in the federal government. Warren's letter comes on the heels of Reuters reporting last week that Musk's DOGE team is expanding use of Grok to analyze data, potentially violating conflict-of-interest laws and putting at risk sensitive information on millions of Americans. "I seek to ensure that the DoD's procurement decisions encourage competition and avoid consolidation that can lead to higher prices, concentration of risk, and the stifling of innovation," Warren, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in the letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday. Warren asked the Pentagon to respond to her by June 9 on its AI acquisition practices, how it plans to avoid getting locked in with a particular contractor, and its safeguards for data collection. "How does DoD plan to ensure government data is not used to illegally train commercially available AI algorithms?" Warren wrote. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The letter did not mention Grok, which was developed by xAI, or its competitors, which include OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. In a meeting first reported by Reuters, Hegseth met Musk and members of the xAI team at the Pentagon on May 21, officials said, the second known time the close ally of President Donald Trump has visited the department's headquarters. The White House's Office of Management and Budget released new guidance in April directing federal agencies to ensure that the government and "the public benefit from a competitive American AI marketplace." The guidance, however, exempted national security and defense systems. Warren of Massachusetts and Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican senator for Missouri who also serves on the Armed Services Committee, recently reintroduced a bill that includes provisions that would also encourage AI competition in the Defense Department. The Department of Defense, with a budget approaching $1 trillion per year, accounted for over half of the federal government's contracting dollars in the fiscal year 2023, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. (Reporting by Marisa Taylor and Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Mark Porter)

Elizabeth Warren Demands Competitive AI Contracting At Pentagon Amid Silent Expansion Of Elon Musk's Grok: 'How Does DoD Plan To Ensure...'

Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) has reportedly urged the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure competitive AI contracting, particularly in light of Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, gaining traction within the federal government. What Happened: Warren penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday. The letter, seen by Reuters, emphasized the need for competitive AI contracting to prevent monopolization, which could lead to increased costs, concentrated risks and stifled innovation. Warren's letter, which did not specifically mention Grok, requested that the Pentagon address its AI acquisition practices, strategies to avoid being tied to a single contractor and its data collection safeguards. The Senator's office set a deadline of June 11 for the Pentagon to respond. "How does DoD plan to ensure government data is not used to illegally train commercially available AI algorithms?" wrote Warren. Warren's push for competitive AI contracting follows a previous report by the publication revealing that Musk's DOGE team is expanding Grok's use for data analysis -- a move that could violate conflict-of-interest laws and put sensitive information on millions of Americans at risk. Despite the recent guidance from the White House's Office of Management and Budget to promote a competitive American AI marketplace, national security and defense systems are exempt. Warren and Republican Senator Eric Schmitt have reintroduced a bill with provisions to boost AI competition in the Defense Department. SEE ALSO: Trump Administration Axes $400 Million In State Unemployment System Upgrades, Calls It 'Wasteful': Report Why It Matters: Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, has been a subject of controversy lately. It was reported that the AI tool, developed by Musk's company xAI, is being quietly used within U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), despite lacking formal approval for such use. This has raised concerns about potential breaches of privacy laws and conflicts of interest. Additionally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has criticized Grok, accusing it of spreading "fake news and propaganda." Warren's call for competitive AI contracting at the Pentagon is a significant development in light of these controversies surrounding Musk's AI technology. It reflects growing concerns about the potential risks and ethical implications of AI use in government agencies. READ MORE: JD Vance Said Bitcoin Created Wealth, Peter Schiff Says It Did No Such Thing: 'What Has Happened Is A Massive Transfer Of ...' Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs