Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence system Grok has reportedly been used in US military operations involving strikes against Iran, according to a legal briefing reviewed by AFP.
The disclosure came in a June 15 court filing defending gas turbines powering a large xAI data centre, which is currently facing an environmental lawsuit over emissions concerns.
In the filing, the US Department of Justice argued that the legal challenge could threaten national, economic and energy security by disrupting infrastructure linked to artificial intelligence systems supporting defence operations.
Federal prosecutors cited testimony from Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley, who stated under oath that Grok is already being integrated into Project Maven, a US military programme designed to assist in identifying and targeting objectives.
According to the statement, the Maven Smart Systems enabled US forces to deploy thousands of munitions against thousands of targets within a short operational window during a recent military campaign.
Stanley also praised the efficiency gains achieved through Musk’s technology, referring to the “Grok Gov Model” and its role in enhancing battlefield decision-making capabilities.
The case was brought by the NAACP, which is suing xAI over allegations that its data centre turbines operate without proper environmental permits and contribute to pollution in predominantly Black neighbourhoods.
xAI has denied wrongdoing, stating that the turbines are temporary and mobile and therefore not subject to the regulatory requirements cited in the lawsuit.
The case highlights growing tensions between rapid AI development for military use and increasing legal and ethical concerns over environmental impact and oversight.
It also comes amid broader debate in the tech industry, where companies such as Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic have faced internal and external pressure over the use of artificial intelligence in military applications.
Neither the US Department of Justice nor xAI has issued further public comment on the reported operational use of Grok in military targeting systems.
