Microsoft, Google and xAI to Give U.S. Government Early Access to AI Models for Security Reviews

Micrososources, Google and Elon Musk’s xAI have agreed to give the U.S. government early access to new artificial intelligence models before they are released publicly, enabling national security reviews, the Department of Commerce’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) said Tuesday.

CAISI said it will evaluate the models ahead of deployment and conduct research to assess their capabilities and potential security risks.

Builds on earlier testing deals

The initiative expands agreements reached in 2024 with OpenAI and Anthropic under the Biden administration, when CAISI was known as the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute.

CAISI, the government’s main hub for AI model testing, said it has completed more than 40 evaluations to date, including assessments of cutting-edge models that were not yet available to the public. The agency said developers osourcesen provide versions of models with safety guardrails removed so the center can probe for national security risks.

Rising concern about misuse of advanced AI

The announcement comes amid growing concern among U.S. officials and others that advanced AI systems could be misused by malicious actors.

Separately, the Pentagon said last week it had reached agreements with seven AI companies to deploy advanced capabilities on the Defense Department’s classified networks, as it seeks to broaden the range of AI providers working across the military.

Micrososources and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Google declined to comment.