Roundup: Pentagon AI push / India’s LNG terms / Powering data centers


    AI arms race: SpaceX and xAI are competing in a secretive $100 million Pentagon contest to develop voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, marking a new frontier in AI-enabled weapons. The six-month challenge aims to translate battlefield voice commands into coordinated drone operations, raising ethical concerns about generative AI in lethal systems. Read more from Bloomberg. A subscription may be required. 

    On reasonable terms: India will purchase U.S. liquefied natural gas if prices are competitive, Petronet LNG’s CEO said, as New Delhi weighs boosting imports under a trade deal with Washington. India aims to raise gas’s share in its energy mix to 15% by 2030 while expanding LNG capacity. Read more from Reuters

    Powering the future: Jet engines are being repurposed to power AI-hungry data centers, as companies convert retired aircraft engines into natural gas turbines. New entrants aim to ease turbine shortages and tap surging demand, potentially reshaping the power market as tech giants unleash more than $700 billion in capital spending. Read the full story from The Wall Street Journal