Pentagon AI head ‘confirms’ Google deal with an ‘appreciation note’; says: Saving us thousands of …

The Pentagon’s head of artificial intelligence, Cameron Stanly has now confirmed that the Department of Defense (DOD) is expanding its use of Google’s Gemini AI model, marking significant shift in the military’s AI strategy just two months after dropping Anthropic over supply chain risk concerns. Speaking to CNBC, Stanley acknowledged the deal and even issued what he called an ‘appreciation note’, suggesting the efficiency gains Gemini has already delivered. “There’s a lot of different things that are saving thousands of man hours, literally thousands of man hours on a weekly basis,” he said, underscoring the Pentagon’s view that AI is now central to modern wartime capabilities.

DOD is not relying solely on Google

Stanley also stressed that DOD is not just relying on Google, noting that the ongoing collaborations with OpenAI and other vendors. “Overreliance on one vendor is never a good thing,” he said, stressing the importance of diversification in AI partnerships.

Pentagon’s confirmation comes after Anthropic fallout

This confirmation from Pentagon comes amid a heated legal dispute with AI-giant Anthropic. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C, denied Anthropic’s request to block its blacklisting by the Pentagon, while a San Francisco judge separately granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from enforcing a ban on Anthropic’s Claude model. The split rulings mean Anthropic remains excluded from DOD contracts but can continue working with other agencies during litigation.

Pentagon deals brings internal pushback at Google

The deal has sparked controversy inside Google. More than 700 employees signed a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, urging the company to reject classified workloads, warning that Gemini could be used in “inhumane or extremely harmful ways.”Stanley said the Pentagon is “taking this very seriously” to ensure it is prepared for the next wave of AI-enabled capabilities. He referenced Anthropic’s recent Mythos rollout as a wake-up call, citing its advanced cyber capabilities and potential risks. “You don’t cook a Thanksgiving turkey in the microwave,” Stanley added, stressing the need for the right technology for the right use case.