In a significant development, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced late Friday that his company has finalized an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) regarding the deployment of its artificial intelligence models. This announcement comes shortly after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to cease using AI technology from rival company Anthropic, which was recently blacklisted by the administration.
“Tonight, we reached an agreement with the Department of War to deploy our models in their classified network,” Altman stated on X (formerly Twitter). “In all of our interactions, the DoW displayed a deep respect for safety and a desire to partner to achieve the best possible outcome.”
The move follows a tumultuous week for the AI sector, which has become entangled in political debates over the ethical and national security implications of AI deployment. Earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a “Supply-Chain Risk to National Security,” a label typically reserved for foreign adversaries, which would require DoD contractors to certify they do not use Anthropic’s models. President Trump also ordered federal agencies to immediately cease using Anthropic’s technology, citing concerns over security and safety.
Anthropic was the first AI lab to deploy its models across the DoD’s classified network and had been negotiating the terms of its contract before talks broke down. The company expressed concerns about the military’s potential use of its models for fully autonomous weapons or mass surveillance, issues it deemed unacceptable. Conversely, the DoD sought broader use of Anthropic’s models for lawful military applications.
Altman indicated that OpenAI shares similar safety principles with Anthropic, including prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. He stated that the DoD’s agreement reflects these core safety standards.
“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 wrote. “The DoW agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we have incorporated them into our agreement.”
While it remains unclear why the Pentagon chose to accommodate OpenAI over Anthropic, government officials have recently criticized Anthropic for perceived overemphasis on AI safety concerns.
Altman also emphasized that OpenAI plans to implement “technical safeguards” to ensure its models operate as intended and will deploy personnel to oversee their safety. He called on the DoD to extend similar terms to all AI companies, advocating for a more collaborative approach.
In response, Anthropic issued a statement expressing disappointment over the Pentagon’s designation, calling it “deeply saddening,” and announced plans to challenge the decision in court.