OpenAI Secures Pentagon Contract Amid Anthropic Controversy
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced late Friday that his company has reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy AI models on the Department of Defense’s classified network. This news came just hours after rival Anthropic was designated a supply chain risk by the Trump administration.
The deal includes strict safeguards prohibiting the use of OpenAI technology for mass domestic surveillance, autonomous weapons systems, and high-stakes automated decisions. Altman stated that the Pentagon demonstrated deep respect for safety concerns and agreed to allow OpenAI to build its own safety stack to prevent misuse. The agreement includes provisions that if the model refuses to perform a task, the government cannot force OpenAI to make it comply.
The announcement comes amid a heated dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon over similar ethical concerns. President Trump criticized Anthropic as left-wing and ordered federal agencies to cease using their technology after a six-month phase-out period. OpenAI claims its contract has more guardrails than any previous classified AI deployment agreement, including Anthropic’s original contract.
Source: CNBC