White House Accelerates AI Use For National Security
The White House has announced plans to speed up the development and deployment of artificial intelligence across national security operations while maintaining restrictions on unlawful surveillance activities. The move reflects growing interest in the role of advanced AI systems within intelligence and military functions, as policymakers seek to balance innovation with oversight.
President Donald Trump outlined the administration’s position in a national security memorandum, stating that the United States would expand the responsible use of AI across intelligence and warfighting domains while remaining aligned with American values.
Administration Pushes Faster AI Adoption
Earlier this week, the administration said it would ask leading AI developers to voluntarily submit their most advanced models for government cybersecurity testing before public release. The proposal comes amid increasing concerns in Washington about the risks and capabilities associated with powerful AI systems.
In the memorandum, Trump said the United States could accelerate AI adoption while ensuring responsible implementation. He emphasised that AI should support national security objectives without undermining legal protections or established governance structures.
Furthermore, the memorandum promotes the use of AI technologies from multiple providers. This approach aims to reduce dependence on a single supplier and minimise potential vulnerabilities that could arise from a single point of failure.
Pentagon Directed To Update Weapons Guidance
Trump instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to revise an existing directive governing autonomous weapons systems within 90 days. According to the memorandum, the update should ensure the deliberate adoption of AI-enabled systems while preserving respect for the military chain of command.
The administration also stressed that AI systems used within the national security enterprise must not be developed or deployed to censor free speech. In addition, the memorandum states that such technologies should not be used for unauthorised or unlawful surveillance activities.
Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the memorandum accelerates AI adoption across multiple vendors, updates guidance on autonomous weapons systems to keep pace with technological advances, and seeks to ensure that critical AI systems relied upon by military personnel cannot be disabled or degraded without prior approval.
Anthropic Dispute Highlights AI Policy Tensions
The memorandum follows a dispute between AI company Anthropic and the Pentagon. In March, the Pentagon assigned a formal supply-chain risk designation to Anthropic after the company maintained restrictions preventing its Claude AI model from being used for autonomous weapons and mass United States surveillance.
The Pentagon argued that it should retain the ability to use the technology when necessary, provided such use complies with United States law. The designation represented a significant criticism of a domestic technology company that has supported military operations, including activities in Iran, according to previous reporting.
Anthropic did not immediately comment on the memorandum. The company also did not respond to requests regarding a planned meeting between Trump and AI executives, which the president said could take place as early as next week.
With inputs from Reuters