OpenAI's Pentagon Deal Deepens
OpenAI's controversial Pentagon deal is expanding, with the company now set to deploy its models on classified government networks. The move comes as CEO Sam Altman admitted the optics of the original deal looked “opportunistic and sloppy” and as tech workers protest the government's treatment of rival Anthropic.
The expanded partnership will see OpenAI's technology deployed on the Pentagon's classified networks, a move that transpired shortly after former President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to cease using technology from competitor Anthropic. This directive followed Anthropic's refusal to remove safeguards that prevent its AI from being used for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. The "supply chain risk" designation for Anthropic by the Department of Defense, a label typically reserved for foreign adversaries, has been a major point of contention. In response, hundreds of tech workers from major companies like Google and OpenAI have signed an open letter urging the government to withdraw this designation. They argue the label stems from a policy disagreement over ethical red lines rather than a genuine security threat. OpenAI has stated its own agreement with the Pentagon includes "red lines" that prohibit the use of its AI for mass domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons systems, asserting these safeguards are more robust than previous agreements. However, the initial announcement of the deal led to significant user backlash, with a reported 295% jump in ChatGPT uninstalls in a single day, and protests outside OpenAI's offices. In the wake of the public outcry, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the deal's timing and execution appeared "opportunistic and sloppy." The company has since amended its contract with the Pentagon to include more explicit language banning the use of its AI for domestic surveillance and by intelligence agencies like the NSA without a new agreement.
