SpaceX and its subsidiary xAI have been selected to compete in a Pentagon competition seeking the development of autonomous drone swarm technology capable of being controlled by voice commands.
According to Bloomberg, this challenge, valued at USD 100 million and managed with high secrecy, marks a new chapter in the relationship between ElonMusk companies and the US defense industry and AI applied to the military field.
The call, lasting six months, was launched by the Defense Innovation Unit together with the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, and aims for participants to develop software capable of coordinating swarms of drones in different environments, both maritime and aerial.
The goal is to translate verbal commands into precise digital instructions, allowing a single operator to simultaneously control multiple drones that act autonomously in search of targets.
The competition, which will be developed in phases, begins with software development and will progress to real-world testing and advanced usage scenarios.A defense official has noted that these unmanned aircraft will be used for offensive purposes, stating that human-machine interaction will have a direct impact on the lethality and effectiveness of these systems.
xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence firm, is reinforcing its technical team with engineers specialized in defense projects, seeking profiles with US security clearance at “secret” or “top secret” levels.
The company has already signed previous contracts with the Pentagon, including the integration of the Grok chatbot into government sites and a $200 million agreement to incorporate AI into military systems.
For its part, SpaceX has historically been a relevant contractor in the sector, although traditionally focused on reusable rockets, communications satellites and sensitive space launches for the Pentagon.
The recent merger between SpaceX and xAI, valued at $1.25 trillion, seeks to form the most ambitious vertically integrated innovation engine on Earth and beyond, spanning from AI and rockets to real-time communications and freedom of expression.
Musk’s foray into developing software for offensive weapons marks a significant shift, considering his history of warning about the dangers of autonomous weaponry.In 2015, Musk signed an open letter with AI and robotics experts that warned about the risks of systems capable of deselecting and attacking targets without significant human control.
However, competitive pressure and the opportunity to lead defense innovation have led SpaceX and xAI to join this contest, where they compete with other large technology and aerospace companies.
The race to create swarms of intelligent drones, capable of moving and operating in multiple domains under voice control, represents both a strategic advance and an ethical challenge, especially in a context of increasing regulatory scrutiny and international rivalry.
The Pentagon competition is structured in five phases, starting with software development and progressing to “awareness and sharing of objectives” and, finally, “launch to completion” in real tests.
The work of SpaceX and xAI in this field could mark a before and after in the integration of artificial intelligence, autonomy and human control in military systems, with direct implications for the safety and effectiveness of future operations.
Finally, it is pertinent to note that SpaceX is an aerospace company dedicated to reducing the costs of space transportation by reusing rockets such as the Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy.In addition, it develops the Starship spacecraft for future missions to the Moon and Mars, operates the Starlink satellite internet network and carries out manned missions to the International Space Station.
