New Delhi: OpenAI on Friday reached an agreement with the US Department of War (DoW) to deploy its AI models within the department’s classified network.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, discussions with the DoW reflected a strong emphasis on safety and responsible collaboration. Altman said in a post on X that the department showed deep respect for safety standards and a shared intent to achieve the best possible outcome.
OpenAI’s statement came after US President Donald Trump blacklisted AI rival Anthropic. Trump ordered the government to stop using Anthropic, calling it a threat to national security after the company refused to agree to unconditional military use of its Claude models.
AI safety and the broad distribution of benefits remain central to OpenAI’s mission. The company highlighted two key safety principles: a prohibition on domestic mass surveillance and clear human responsibility in the use of force, including in autonomous weapon systems. OpenAI stated that the DoW agrees with these principles and reflects them in its laws and policies. These commitments have been formally incorporated into the agreement.
As part of the partnership, OpenAI will implement technical safeguards to ensure its AI models function within defined boundaries, Altman further said. The company said these safeguards were also requested by the DoW. Field Deployment Engineers will be assigned to support implementation and oversight. Deployment will take place exclusively on cloud networks.
OpenAI has also requested that the DoW extend similar terms to other AI companies. The company expressed the view that such standards should be acceptable across the industry. It further stated its desire to move away from legal and governmental disputes and toward practical agreements.
Reaffirming its broader mission, OpenAI said it remains committed to serving humanity responsibly, acknowledging that the global environment is complex and at times challenging.
