The US government has announced partnerships with three leading artificial intelligence firms, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini, worth millions of dollars to federal workers. The deals come after the Trump administration’s plan to modernize the federal government with an increased reliance on AI tools.
In May, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sent an email to the General Services Administration (GSA), proposing a partnership to equip federal workers with best-in-class AI tools. On August 6, the company announced a massive partnership with the GSA that gives federal workers access to ChatGPT Enterprise for a nominal $1 fee.
However, one of the promised partners, Elon Musk’s xAI, was dropped from the deal after its chatbot, Grok, spouted antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media. The incident raised concerns about the government’s haste in procuring AI tools and the lack of transparency around their use.
The GSA has faced criticism for its rapid approach to adopting new technology, with some workers describing the partnership as a “gift” from tech companies. Despite this, OpenAI and Anthropic have released tools tailored for government use, although neither company has achieved independent FedRAMP authorization.
The Trump administration’s push for AI adoption has been swift and significant, with various agencies exploring its potential applications. The government has also announced plans to integrate AI-powered digital assistants into veteran healthcare transactions.
As the federal government continues to explore the benefits of AI, concerns remain about the potential risks and unintended consequences of relying on untested technology.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/xai-grok-government-contract-hitler