Hegseth enlists Musk for Pentagon’s Project Meridian, eyes AI‑driven military supremacy

WASHINGTON, Oct 1 - US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed on Wednesday that tech mogul Elon Musk will play a pivotal role in a new Pentagon project, as reported by German news agency dpa. Speaking to military personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth stated that Musk would be one of several key figures spearheading the initiative, codenamed Project Meridian.

The project's objective, according to Hegseth, is to "creatively explore the future and pinpoint the areas we must conquer, and the capabilities we must master." Hegseth highlighted the significance of autonomous warfare, referring to weapons systems and artificial intelligence that can function and carry out attacks without human intervention.

The Pentagon official emphasized the need to "look forward into the future to achieve technological and military dominance on the battlefield for decades to come." Project Meridian is expected to deliver its findings within 120 days. Musk, who previously led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, was in charge of cost-cutting measures and workforce reductions at government agencies until late May 2025.