Feb 16 (Reuters) – Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its wholly-owned subsidiary xAI are competing in a secret new Pentagon contest to \u200cproduce voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, Bloomberg News reported on \u200cMonday, citing people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n
SpaceX, xAI and the Pentagon’s defense innovation unit \u200bdid not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters could not independently verify the report.<\/p>\n
Texas-based SpaceX recently acquired xAI in a deal that combined Musk’s major space and defense contractor with the billionaire entrepreneur’s artificial \u200cintelligence<\/a> startup. It occurred ahead \u2060of SpaceX’s planned initial public offering this year.<\/p>\n Musk’s companies are reportedly among a select few chosen to participate \u2060in the $100 million prize challenge initiated in January, according to the Bloomberg report.<\/p>\n The six-month competition aims to produce advanced swarming technology that can translate \u200bvoice \u200bcommands into digital instructions and run \u200bmultiple drones, the report said.<\/p>\n Musk \u200cwas among a group of AI and robotics researchers who wrote an open letter in 2015 that advocated a global ban on “offensive autonomous weapons,” arguing against making “new tools for killing people.”<\/p>\n The U.S. Defense Secretary last year outlined a new strategy to accelerate drone development and deployment \u200cby aiming to cut bureaucracy and boost \u200bdomestic drone manufacturing.<\/p>\n The U.S. also has been \u200bseeking safe and cost-effective \u200bways to neutralize drones, particularly around airports and large \u200csporting events – a concern that has \u200bbecome more urgent \u200bahead of the FIFA World Cup and America250 anniversary celebrations this summer.<\/p>\n