OpenAI strikes deal with Pentagon after Trump orders government to stop using Anthropic
Following a directive by Donald Trump to cease using Anthropic's AI, OpenAI secured a deal with the Pentagon for deployment on classified networks.Summary
President Donald Trump ordered all federal agencies to immediately stop using Anthropic's AI technology, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security," giving agencies six months to comply. This action followed months of disputes between the Pentagon and Anthropic over the military's intended use of its AI systems, particularly regarding domestic surveillance and lethal autonomous weapons, which Anthropic refused to permit.
Hours after the directive, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that OpenAI had reached an agreement with the Department of Defense (DoD) to deploy its models on classified networks, emphasizing that the DoD respected OpenAI's safety principles, including prohibitions on mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force.
Anthropic responded by threatening legal action against the supply chain risk designation, calling it legally unsound. The AI industry pushed back against the government's move, with some leaders calling it corporate retaliation for contract negotiations. Lawmakers also voiced concerns, suggesting the President's directive might be politically motivated rather than based on careful analysis, while OpenAI's own internal stance suggested they would have taken a similar position to Anthropic regarding red lines on autonomous weapons and surveillance.
(Source：NBC News)