Google abruptly dropped out of a $100 million Pentagon prize challenge to create technology for voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarms after it was among the successful submissions, according to people briefed on the matter.

Google pulled out of a Pentagon drone-swarm competition after its team had already cleared an early selection round, Bloomberg reported in April 2026. The withdrawal removes one of the world’s largest AI companies from a Defense Department program built to test fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles that fly,

Google withdrew from a $100 million Pentagon drone swarm competition shortly after advancing in the program. The company cited “resourcing” issues, but insiders say an internal ethics review and employee concerns over military AI played a key role.

Google has reportedly signed an agreement allowing the US Department of Defense to use its AI models for classified work, despite an open letter from hundreds of employees urging the company to stay away from military uses that they say could become dangerous or impossible to oversee.

The War Department has agreed to a deal with Google to use the company’s AI models for classified projects. The deal, which was reported by the Information, will allow the department to use Google’s AI ​for “any lawful government purpose,

The Pentagon has arranged a deal to increase its use of Google's artificial intelligence in classified operations, US media outlets reported on Tuesday.

Google employees demand CEO reject Pentagon AI contracts for Gemini, citing impossible oversight on classified military networks and ethical concerns.