OpenAI is negotiating with the U.S. government, Sam Altman tells staff | Fortune

Sam Altman disclosed to OpenAI employees that a potential agreement is emerging with the U.S. Department of War for the startup to supply its AI models and tools, though the contract is not yet finalized. A key aspect of the proposed deal is that OpenAI would maintain control over its safety stack, and the government would not force the model to perform tasks it refuses to do. Furthermore, the government reportedly agreed to include OpenAI's specified "red lines" in the contract, prohibiting uses like autonomous weapons, domestic mass surveillance, and critical decision-making. This development follows a public conflict between Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and OpenAI rival Anthropic, which resulted in the apparent termination of Anthropic's contracts with the Pentagon over similar safety limitations. Former President Trump also directed federal agencies to cease using Anthropic's technology. OpenAI leadership acknowledged internal concerns about foreign surveillance but recognized the necessity of international surveillance capabilities for national security work.

(Source：Fortune)