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Elon Musk spent months slashing federal contracts — Now his AI company is celebrating a $200M Pentagon contract and new unit to get government business

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Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an important new customer: the U.S. government. 

The two-year old AI company—most recently in the news when its chatbot praised Hitler—said in a blog post Monday that it has launched a new division, called “Grok with Government” and signed a contract worth up to $200 million with the Department of Defense. xAI also announced that it had been added to the General Services Administration schedule, meaning that xAI products will now be available for purchase across every government office and agency.

xAI’s new DoD contract is part of a new effort to develop AI agent workflows across a “variety of mission areas,” the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office said in a press release, without giving many more specifics. Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic were also awarded up to $200 million contracts as part of the new effort, according to the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office. A number of tech companies, including Meta, Amazon, and Google, have either started working with or upped their work with the U.S. government in the last year as the taboo in Silicon Valley of working with the Defense Department has fallen away.

xAI’s new ties with the Pentagon are likely to raise eyebrows, not least because just one week earlier, the company released an update to its Grok AI model that caused it to spew racist comments, including referring to itself as a “MechaHitler.” There’s also the fact that xAI’s CEO, Musk, has spent the last six months trying to trim “wasteful spending” in the government via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE claims to have saved $190 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars by July—in large part via cutting government contracts it said were outdated or wasteful (DOGE reportedly hasn’t provided documentation or evidence for 40% of those cuts, and investigations and analysis into the cuts have suggested that these figures have been greatly exaggerated.) Now, xAI is vying to get the U.S. government to add many more contracts that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Another twist is that the Grok announcement comes at a time when existing government contracts at Musk’s various companies appear to be on thin ice. In June, amid the very-public social media spat between Musk and Trump that began with Musk’s criticisms of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” Trump threatened to cut all of Musk’s government contracts across his various companies. Musk, in turn, had suggested he would decommission SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, currently the primary way for NASA to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station and back to Earth. Musk’s companies have notched more than $38 billion in contracts with the U.S. government over the years.

xAI says that it wants to start servicing federal, local, state, and national security customers, and that, for these customers, it would start to build custom models for national security or “critical science” applications that would be available in “classified and other restricted environments” and that it would provide specific engineering support with USG-cleared engineers.

While Musk is no longer working with DOGE, he remains well-connected in some government circles. One of his allies within the Trump Administration was Katie Miller, who had served as Mike Pence’s press secretary when he was vice president during Trump’s first presidency. Miller is also the wife of Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, and she has since started working for xAI since Musk left DOGE. On Monday, Miller was promoting xAI’s new government plans on her social media account, saying that Grok was the “only truth-seeking AI available to the US Government.”

xAI and the Department of Defense did not respond to requests for comment. GSA said it was working with “several” AI solutions across various agencies and that it welcomes “all American companies and models who abide by our terms and conditions.”



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AI and Social Media – Incorporating AI into Your Pallet Business Online Strategy

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Establishing your pallet business on social media is part of marketing 101. At least having a basic Facebook page makes you more visible, allowing you to get your name out there amongst the competition. With the introduction of AI tools over the past few years, small businesses are increasingly finding more and more benefits.

There is an understandable level of hesitancy when it comes to using AI. The idea of robots controlling the social media space is something we could probably use a little less of. AI can remove creativity from posts and blog articles, making the words less personalized.

Laying reservations aside, large corporations have been actively using AI for some time, but now with more available tools, there are benefits to incorporating AI into your social media marketing. In 2023, according to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council Small Business AI Survey, only 28% of small businesses use AI in social media management and 32% in email marketing automation tools.

In a Forbes online article from 2023, SBEC CEO Karen Kerrigan reports that AI “tools and applications are helping to boost profitability, productivity, and competitiveness” while offering “cost-effective solutions that drive savings and profitability.” Using AI can assist in writing emails faster with greater grammatical accuracy and add more creativity to social media posts. An AI-driven site can also help with scheduling of posts days, weeks, and months ahead.

When considering using AI for social media, first determine areas you could use a little help. Is posting regularly and consistently a challenge? What about creating content for social media posts? Could you use some assistance with longer forms of writing such as blog posts, emails, and grammar checks? Check out some AI tools available for social media in small businesses.

If you need help with posting consistently on your social media platforms, try an AI scheduling tool, such as Metricool.com or Publer.com

1. Writing social media posts: ChatGPT and ChatGPT Plus

Depending on your needs, from basic to increased creativity, ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) offers a way to create social media posts quickly. Depending on the subject matter, tell ChatGPT what you want the program to write, and it will deliver. For example, after typing “write a social media post about the wooden pallet industry and its increased need for transparency,” ChatGPT produces a 100+ word response within seconds, complete with bullet points and hashtags for searchability. For more advanced features such as faster response times and access to more improvements, you can subscribe to ChatGPT Plus for $20/month.

 

2. Graphics creation for social media posts: Canva Magic Write

Canva.com offers a large library of graphics and photos for your social media posts. Now, Canva has an AI tool called Magic Write. By typing in a topic to generate content for, such as “Pallet Design,” Canva will produce content within seconds so you can easily attach an eye-catching graphic or stock photo. Simply download your creation and upload it to your business’s Facebook or LinkedIn page.

 

3. Writing and grammar assistance: Grammarly and QuillBot

Maybe writing content is not a challenge, but finding the time to spell/grammar check is. No one wants to post content with errors. Sites like Grammarly.com and Quillbot.com allow you to copy and paste your writing into their AI checker. The program will point out possible spelling and grammar errors. For an upgrade, both platforms offer more advanced editing features. While most of the corrections are accurate, it is important to read through the suggestions, as the program doesn’t always have an understanding of certain industry terms or writing styles.

 

4. Social media scheduling – Metricool and Publer

If you need help with posting consistently on your social media platforms, try an AI scheduling tool. Metricool.com has a free plan that allows you to schedule up to 50 pieces of content per month for all social media accounts except LinkedIn and X. Inexpensive upgrades are available to include more features, including other social media platforms. Publer.com also has a free plan for the basics and inexpensive monthly rates for upgrades. Taking the time to plan out your social media posts, and schedule them to post in advance allows AI to work for you while you are busy running your business.

Always remember, AI is not perfect. When using it for content creation, review the information to ensure accuracy. Also, check for style. Sometimes, you may need to add or change phrasing to make the content fit your audience. If polished content isn’t typically your style, consider adjusting some of the vocabulary to better align with your approach.

Using AI for social media is the direction our world is heading. With proper guidelines and tools, there can be many benefits to help your business efficiently grow and expand to a wider audience.



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HubSpot + AI: Why Every Smart Business Needs A Technical Consultant Now

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Introduction

Businesses seeking to improve their marketing, sales, and customer service operations are turning to HubSpot as their go-to platform.

AI is also transforming how businesses operate, from automating tasks to providing real-time information and personalizing interactions. To enhance customer communication, AI and HubSpot can collaborate to improve operations and drive sales growth.

One of the issues the companies are facing is that they cannot make this change on their own. By 2024, it is expected that more than 60% of people who use CRM and marketing automation will also use AI. This demonstrates that hiring a skilled technical consultant is no longer an option; it’s a necessity.

In this article, we’ll explore:

  • How are the Core functions of HubSpot Changing because of AI?
  • Major Problems faced by businesses when implementing advanced features
  • Why technical consultants play a key role in successful adoption
  • What to look for when hiring the right expert

So the question is, are you ready to unlock HubSpot’s full potential, or risk being left behind?

The Power of HubSpot + AI Integration

HubSpot has fully embraced AI, making marketing, sales, and customer service more creative and effective than ever. The platform now features built-in AI tools, including content assistants that assist in writing better emails and blog posts, as well as predictive lead scoring that helps your team focus on the most important contacts.

In HubSpot, AI can do these things for you:

  • Automate Routine Tasks: Chatbots answer frequently asked questions and make reservations, which saves your team hours of work each week.
  • Personalize Content at Scale: AI recommends content based on customer behavior, ensuring that every lead receives a message tailored to them.
  • Optimize Campaigns Smarter: AI can enhance your campaigns by utilizing built-in analytics and A/B testing tools to refine them.

Growth that can be scaled up and is based on data, without wearing out your team.

Why Businesses Struggle to Maximize These Tools Alone

Even with access to powerful automation and data tools, many businesses struggle to leverage their value fully. Here’s why:

1. Misconfigured Automation:

The tasks may take longer to complete if the automation process is not correctly set up. A lot of confusion and chaos will be created as things might not start on time, or in the worst case, might not start at all.

2. Bad Data Hygiene:

Even the best tools can fail if the data is old or repeated. If you do not keep your data organized, your workflow will not be effective.

3. Tools that are used too much or not enough:

Many teams purchase more than one platform but ultimately use only a small portion of it. They sometimes use a multitude of tools that perform the same function. This makes things messy and less valuable.

4. Skills Gap:

You need to know how to use these tools and think strategically. Many businesses lack the necessary personnel in-house to handle both tasks.

Enter the HubSpot Technical Consultant: What They Do

A Technical HubSpot certified consultant is the person who makes sure that your business goals and complex tech tools work together. They are like translators; they take all the technical stuff and make it work in a way that helps your team do their jobs better, faster, and smarter.

Here’s what they usually handle:

HubSpot Setup and Optimization

They ensure that your CRM is not only set up correctly but also functions the way you and your team do.

AI Feature Implementation and Training

They help you integrate and train your team on AI tools, which enables you to do more with less effort. This includes intelligent chatbots and predictive analytics.

Data Architecture and Reporting

They organize the flow of your data so that everything makes sense and nothing gets lost. This makes your reports clean, clear, and valuable.

Workflow and Automation Troubleshooting

They’re the ones who go in and fix things quickly when they break or slow down.

In short, a Technical Consultant creates complex, yet helpful, technology for businesses by ensuring that every tool you use helps you achieve your goals.

Real-World Benefits of Hiring a HubSpot + AI Consultant

Bringing in a HubSpot + AI consultant isn’t just about staying ahead; it’s about unlocking practical, measurable improvements in your marketing and sales performance. Here’s how:

1. Increased ROI from Campaigns

A consultant helps you leverage data and AI features in HubSpot more effectively. From better audience targeting to predictive lead scoring, every campaign becomes more personalized and effective, without guesswork.

2. Streamlined Customer Journeys

Consultants optimize your workflows to match real customer behavior. The result? Fewer drop-offs, more engagement, and a journey that feels seamless from first click to closed deal.

3. Smarter Use of Analytics and AI

HubSpot’s AI features can be powerful, but only when used correctly. Consultants help you make sense of the insights and turn them into clear action plans that drive growth.

4. Improved Team Productivity

With automation set up correctly, your team spends less time on repetitive tasks and more time closing deals and building relationships.

Success Scenario:

Company A worked with a HubSpot + AI consultant to redesign its lead-nurturing workflows. The result? A 30% boost in MQL-to-SQL conversion within 60 days.

Hiring a consultant is more than a service; it’s a wise investment in scalable success.

When Should You Bring in a Technical Consultant?

While some businesses wait until things break down before calling in a consultant, the most brilliant move is to get one involved early, before your challenges snowball into significant problems. If you’re planning to implement a new CRM setup, automate marketing workflows, integrate third-party platforms, or use AI for the first time, that’s the perfect time to bring in an expert.

Early engagement ensures your systems are designed right from the beginning, saving time and money in the long run. It also gives your team a chance to learn and adapt alongside the setup, rather than scrambling to catch up later.

Still unsure? Here are signs it’s time:

  • You’re launching your first AI-driven campaign and need it to go right.
  • Your team spends more time fixing workflows than using them.
  • Your reports are unclear or inconsistent due to insufficient data.
  • You’re unsure which HubSpot tools you’re paying for vs. using.
  • Your customer journey feels clunky or disjointed.

Think of a consultant not as an extra cost, but as an investment in avoiding missteps and getting faster, smarter outcomes. The sooner they’re involved, the greater the payoff.

Choosing the Right Technical Consultant

Finding the right technical consultant can make or break your HubSpot or AI integration project. Here’s what to look for:

What to Look For:

HubSpot Certifications: Ensure they are officially certified; this demonstrates their in-depth knowledge of the platform.

Experience with AI Tools: Look for someone who’s worked with automation, integrations, and tools like chatbots or predictive analytics.

Industry Understanding: A consultant familiar with your field can offer more relevant solutions and faster results.

Strategic + Technical Mindset: The best consultants don’t just “do the tech”; they help you think through the why and how behind it.

Red Flags to Watch Out For:

Big Promises, No Plan: Be cautious of anyone who claims they can automate everything without discussing strategy or goals.

Poor Communication or Documentation: If they can’t explain what they’re doing or leave no records, that’s a red flag.

Agency vs. Freelancer vs. In-House:

Agencies offer scale, freelancers bring flexibility, and in-house hires give long-term support. Select the option that best fits your goals and budget.



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How AI is Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity for Business in 2025

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As increasingly more businesses rely on cloud infrastructures, the alignment of cybersecurity for business and cloud network protection has never been greater. Business enterprises face a new era of threats: artificial-intelligence-fortified threats, exploits designed specifically for clouds, and highly evolved ransomware campaigns initiated in 2025.

Staying abreast of these trends and strategies of adaptive defense is paramount when it comes to protecting information, business continuity, and customer trust.

1. Emergence of AI-Driven Ransomware

Recent research revealed what is possibly the first-ever AI-driven ransomware called PromptLock. It deploys locally maintained large language models to create hostile Lua scripts and can possibly attack Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems with highly developed encryption and cross-platform functionalities.

At the same time, more extensive research verifies that online criminals are utilizing generative AI software such as Anthropic’s Claude to implement automation of each step of ransomware use, starting from generating malware and up to writing ransom claims.

Why it is important for cloud network security: Technical requirements for complex attacks are lowered by AI. Resource access-automated cloud environments are ideal targets for quick customized ransomware that ignores conventional protection methods.

2. Cloud Computing Providers Faced with Threats

Security analysts discovered that the threat actor known as the Murky Panda has been using cloud service provider zero-days against their target infrastructures. These attack tools possess lateral movement within networks and have a tendency of bypassing common detection technologies.

Business takeaway: Even cloud infrastructure run by major players can be breached. Good security starts with making sure your provider implements stringent patching, visibility, and segmentation.

3. Automated AI-Enabled Threats on the

Cyberattacks are now exceedingly common thanks to automation facilitated by artificial intelligence,Cybersecurity Ventures’ latest report found automated scanning peaked at 36,000 scans per second worldwide and triggered a whopping surge of credential-based breaches and stolen credentials available on the dark web.

Implication: Both cloud and non-cloud networks must integrate real-time defenses like AI-powered threat detection, Zero Trust, and behavioral analytics so that threat detection can occur before damages are being caused.

4. Best Practices in Cloud Network Security

a. AI-Infused Threat Defense Platforms

Modern cloud network security employs AI to identify anomalies and respond within a flash:

  • More and more businesses use real-time machine learning to follow cloud behaviors, spot possible risks early on, and react before they take place.
  • State-of-the-art protection even catches ransomware at real-time with detection rates higher than 96%.

b. Zero Trust Architecture

Trust nothing by default ever. Zero Trust involves verification of end-users, devices, and access rights on a constant basis before each request. For cloud networks this means deploying identity verification, validation of device compliance, and least-privilege configurations.

c. Governance & Shadow AI Mitigation

With rapid business uptake of AI technologies, Shadow AI or unregulated, employee- operated AI is a real security risk. Data and AI use need governance and monitoring policies to remain within control.

d. Attack Path and Continuous Exposure Management

Cloud infrastructure tends to have misconfigurations and vulnerabilities that go unpatched. Continuously Exposure Management (CEM) platforms enable you to map attack paths within hybrid environments and remediate based on real-world danger.

5. Strategic Framework for Secure Cloud Networks

To stay one step ahead, businesses need a multi-leveled forward-thinking approach:

Employ scanner and real-time monitoring with AI-powered software that identify oddities and respond in real time.

Extend Zero Trust to human-cloud interactions: use micro-level access controls and verify identities at all locations.

Emphasize vulnerability reduction using CEM tools to focus on those vulnerabilities that are of highest concern within business operations.

Set clear AI policies not to unofficially use shadow AI software and protect all-around.

Back up rigorously, in immutable, tested ways, to maintain resilience against AI-enhanced ransomware.

Conclusion

In short, cloud network security from cybersecurity for business requires agility, next-gen detection, and architectural rigor. Since AI-led threats and ransomware are increasingly autonomous and specificity-driven, the use of antiquated perimeter defenses is no longer tenable. Companies need to move forward with AI-supported security, Zero Trust, visibility, and robust governance.

Secure Your Cloud Future with ELLIMANTECH

Looking to fortify cloud network security and remain one step ahead of emerging threats? ELLIMANTECH delivers customized cybersecurity protection developed to suit modern business needs: AI-driven threat identification and incident management, Zero Trust network implementations continuing surveillance and control of exposure, Reliable cloud backup, and disaster recovery.

Protect your business with security designed for today, and tomorrow. Take a look at https://ellimantech.com and get started.



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