Jackie Snow
Since Donald Trump's presidential election victory, major tech companies have abandoned years of policies restricting military work and sought out lucrative defense contracts and deeper connections with the Pentagon.
Executives from Meta, OpenAI, and Palantir will be sworn in Friday as Army Reserve officers. OpenAI signed a $200 million defense contract this week. Meta is partnering with defense startup Anduril to build AI-powered combat goggles for soldiers.
All while Trump is pushing a $1 trillion defense budget — the largest in U.S. history.
The companies that build Americans' everyday digital tools are now getting into the business of war. Tech giants are adapting consumer AI systems for battlefield use, meaning every ChatGPT query and Instagram scroll now potentially trains military targeting algorithms. Meanwhile, safety guardrails are being dismantled just as these dual-use technologies become central to warfare.
A reversal for Silicon Valley
The relationship between Silicon Valley and the military isn't new. DARPA funding helped create the internet, GPS, and even Siri. For decades, military research has flowed into civilian applications: The Pentagon has developed the technology, and companies have commercialized it for everyday use.
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