Elon Musk's Starring Role in Pentagon's Drone Swarm Race

Elon Musk's SpaceX and its subsidiary, xAI, are in the spotlight as they compete in an undisclosed Pentagon contest. The challenge is to advance voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, according to a report by Bloomberg News citing insider sources.

Citing Bloomberg, Texas-based SpaceX acquired xAI ahead of its planned IPO to merge space/defense and AI ambitions. Musk's projects are among the select few participating in this six-month, $100 million competition aimed at developing swarming technology capable of converting voice commands into actionable drone instructions.

The Pentagon's accelerated focus on drones underscores a broader strategy to enhance defense capabilities amid pressing needs like securing airports and sporting events. Other tech giants including OpenAI, Alphabet, and Anthropic have secured contracts worth up to $200 million to integrate advanced AI functionality into U.S. defense strategies.