# Sources say NSA is spending billions this year testing AI models

_Published Friday, September 25, 2026 at 3:20 PM EDT · AI, Policy · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![NSA — Primary](https://static.washingtonsun.com/dims4/default/20a9fb0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4500x2531+0+422/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk2-prod-aji.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F93%2F3a%2F9de8050f4750b3d0066f0092a434%2Fap25006783508147.jpg)

The National Security Agency told lawmakers it is spending billions of dollars this year evaluating advanced AI models, according to two people familiar with classified estimates cited by the Washington Sun. The agency's Artificial Intelligence Security Center tests models for potential national security vulnerabilities, and one source said computing power has been its largest AI-related cost so far.

The reported scale far exceeds a Congressional Budget Office estimate of roughly $20 million a year for a proposed center focused on AI risks. The exact amount the NSA has spent is unclear. The Defense Department declined to comment on its AI spending, citing security concerns.

## Sources

- [washingtonsun.com](https://www.washingtonsun.com/technology/classified-estimates-nsa-paying-billions-to-test-ai-models)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/o33IRqH0eCqHHTofEaS-xa
Published: 2026-09-25T19:20:25.723Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-24T16:22:37.378Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-25T22:20:21.032Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)