OpenAI has amended its agreement with the US Department of Defense following criticism over the potential use of its AI tools in classified military operations. Chief executive Sam Altman said the company would explicitly prohibit its systems from being used for domestic surveillance of Americans and require additional contract changes before intelligence agencies such as the NSA could deploy the technology.
The original deal emerged after tensions between the Pentagon and rival firm Anthropic, whose AI model Claude had been linked to concerns over surveillance and autonomous weapons. Altman acknowledged OpenAI moved too quickly in announcing its agreement, describing the rollout as "opportunistic and sloppy."
The backlash has had visible effects. Data firm Sensor Tower reported a sharp rise in ChatGPT uninstalls following the announcement, while Anthropic's Claude climbed to the top of Apple's App Store rankings. The episode has reignited debate over how AI is deployed in warfare and the balance of power between private tech companies and the US military...