OpenAI has finalized an agreement to deploy its artificial intelligence models on the Pentagon’s classified networks. This deal follows a Trump administration mandate for federal agencies to stop using technology from rival developer Anthropic.
The Department of Defense designated Anthropic as a supply-chain risk. The move follows an impasse regarding Anthropic’s refusal to allow its AI to be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.
CEO Sam Altman stated that the OpenAI agreement includes safeguards to prohibit those specific uses. The contract mandates technical guardrails, cloud-only deployment, and the direct involvement of OpenAI personnel.