Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has expanded its AI-powered chatbot, Grok, within the US federal government, raising security concerns.
DOGE is utilising a modified variant of Grok to assess government data and generate reports.
DOGE staff reportedly supported the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use Grok without requiring agency approval, though DHS declined any sort of pressure to integrate certain tools, as reported by Reuters.
Experts warn regarding security violations
Experts warn that if Grok assesses sensitive government data, it could potentially violating security and privacy laws.
This has raised concerns regarding Musk’s owned company, xAI, as it is likely to gain an unjust benefit in misuse of government data for enhanced AI-powered systems.
DOGE’s access to federal databases having confidential information on millions of Americans is currently being reviewed, as federal rules require strict verification for data sharing.
In addition, ethics experts warned about the potential conflicts of interest, as Musk is a special government employee, and has a vested interest in xAI’s success.
Unlike major players such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which have signed formal agreements with the U.S. AI Safety Institute, DOGE seems to be bypassing security protocols.
The use of Grok AI further challenges established federal privacy laws, such as the Privacy Act of 1947 that needs strict control over privacy.
AI incorporation without strict guidelines could lead to exploitation of government-held citizen data, compromising years of privacy protections.
