OpenAI says Pentagon deal agrees to use its models with 'safeguards'

San Francisco, United States: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Friday the AI startup has inked a deal with the Pentagon to use its models in the defense agency's classified network, using "technical safeguards."

"Two of our most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems," Altman said, adding that those principles went "into our agreement."

The announcement comes after rival AI startup Anthropic drew the outrage of the Trump administration this week for insisting on having similar safeguards in its own agreement with the Pentagon.