Amid growing backlash, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman explains why he cut a deal with the Pentagon following Anthropic’s blacklisting | Fortune

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and executives defended their recent deal with the Department of War (DOW) to use their models on classified military networks, a move that followed rival Anthropic turning down a similar Pentagon contract. This decision drew significant backlash, including employee dissent and public protests, as critics accused OpenAI of hypocrisy after previously supporting Anthropic's stance against using AI for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons without human oversight. Altman admitted the deal was "rushed" and had poor optics, but insisted it was necessary to de-escalate a heated situation between the military and the AI industry, which he feared could lead to government coercion or nationalization of AI labs. OpenAI argued their contract includes layered safeguards, referencing existing U.S. laws against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, alongside technical limitations like classifiers to filter prohibited prompts. However, legal experts questioned the permanence of these contractual constraints, especially concerning DOW policy changes. Altman also expressed disagreement with the DOW labeling Anthropic a "supply-chain risk" and emphasized his belief that elected leaders, not unelected tech executives, should ultimately decide on AI usage, while stressing his commitment to democratic processes and opposing mass domestic surveillance.

(Source：Fortune)