SpaceX, xAI Join Pentagon Drone Swarm AI Challenge

SpaceX and xAI are among finalists in the Pentagon's six-month "Replicator" drone swarm AI competition, aiming to develop voice-command systems controlling swarms of aerial and maritime drones. The Defense Innovation Unit and Defense Autonomous Warfare Group are co-sponsoring the $100 million prize challenge, launched January 2026. The initiative builds on the Trump administration's Replicator program, seeking scalable, attritable autonomous systems. While SpaceX is an established defense contractor focused on launch and satellite services, xAI has secured Pentagon contracts, including integrating its Grok chatbot into government platforms. Both companies declined comment.