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OpenAI has announced significant revisions to its partnership with the US Department of Defense, after a rollout that Chief Executive Sam Altman admitted was “opportunistic and sloppy.”
The controversy erupted on Friday when OpenAI struck a deal to deploy its technology in classified military operations, filling a void left by rival Anthropic.
However, the move triggered an immediate and severe backlash. According to the BBC, uninstalls of the ChatGPT mobile app surged to 295% on Saturday, while Anthropic’s “Claude” app, perceived by some as a more ethical alternative, climbed to the top of the Apple App Store rankings.
In an effort to stem the tide of criticism, Altman confirmed on Monday that the company is adding explicit language to its agreement to prohibit the use of its systems for spying on Americans.
Altman noted that OpenAI had made a mistake by rushing the announcement, stating on X: “The issues are super complex, and demand clear communication. We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy,” as reported by the BBC.
The new amendments ensure that intelligence agencies, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), cannot use OpenAI’s systems without specific contract modifications. The updated agreement now explicitly forbids the “intentional use for domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals.”
The deal originally emerged after the Trump administration blacklisted Anthropic for refusing to drop “red-line” principles regarding the creation of fully autonomous weapons.
While OpenAI initially claimed its pact had “more guardrails than any previous agreement for classified AI deployments,” the subsequent rush to amend the deal suggests the company underestimated the public’s sensitivity toward military AI.
The debate over AI in warfare remains heated. While military officials, such as Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Gustave of NATO’s Task Force Maven, have stressed to the BBC that they are “always introducing a human in the loop,” experts remain concerned.
Professor Mariarosaria Taddeo of Oxford University told the BBC that with Anthropic’s exit from the Pentagon, “the most safety-conscious actor” is now “out from the room,” which she described as “a real problem.”
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