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The U.S. Department of Defence and other government agencies are testing new AI tools from Microsoft and OpenAI. These tools are meant to help pull data out of powerful software systems used by major defence contractors like Palantir and Lockheed Martin.
Right now, many federal agencies rely on software made by specific companies to manage their data. This can make it hard to switch to new tools or platforms because the data is stuck in one system, a situation known as “vendor lock-in.”
To address this, major tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce are developing AI tools that can transfer data between different platforms or even reconfigure existing programs into newer ones. These tools are designed to make it much easier and faster for organisations to switch from one tech provider to another.
Government officials say these AI tools could be used as a bargaining chip when negotiating with current software providers. For example, if a company like Palantir charges too much or doesn’t offer the features the government needs, agencies could now credibly threaten to move their data to a competing service like Microsoft’s Power BI.
In simple terms, the U.S. government is exploring ways to use AI to gain more control over its data and choices, so it doesn’t have to stay tied to one tech company forever.