Pentagon Official Profits from xAI Stock Amidst Conflict of Interest Concerns
Emil Michael, a high-ranking US defense department official overseeing artificial intelligence (AI) efforts, reportedly made a profit of up to $24 million from selling his investment in Elon Musk's AI company, xAI. This transaction occurred after the Pentagon entered into agreements with xAI, raising potential conflict of interest concerns. Michael, who serves as the under secretary for research and engineering, had initially declared his xAI holdings valued between $500,000 and $1 million. He sold these shares for between $5 million and $25 million, according to government ethics records. The Pentagon's agreements with xAI, including the selection of its Grok chatbot for military use, coincided with Michael's stock sale. Despite the controversy, the Pentagon maintains that Michael complied with all ethics laws. 
