OpenAI inks controversial deal as Pentagon cuts ties with Anthropic
What's the story
OpenAI has signed a deal with the US Department of War to deploy its artificial intelligence (AI) models on their classified networks. The announcement was made by Sam Altman, CEO of the tech company. The move comes amid rising tensions between President Donald Trump's administration and rival AI company Anthropic, which has been flagged as a "supply-chain risk" by the Pentagon over military AI use.
Ethical guidelines
Deal includes strict operational and technical safeguards
Altman explained that OpenAI will implement strict technical and operational controls to ensure its systems operate within agreed boundaries. He emphasized two key principles in the deal: a prohibition on domestic mass surveillance and a clear mandate for human accountability in force-related decisions, including those involving autonomous weapons. The Department of War has accepted these principles and incorporated them into the contract, Altman added.
Engineer deployment
Engineers to be deployed for oversight
As part of the agreement, OpenAI will send specialized "forward-deployed engineers" to closely collaborate with the Department of War. Their job would be to oversee model performance and safety. All deployments under this deal will be done exclusively on secure cloud infrastructure, Altman said.
Industry standards
OpenAI asks DoD to extend terms to all AI vendors
OpenAI has also asked the Department of War to provide similar terms to all AI vendors. The company believes such safeguards should be an industry-wide standard, not a unique case. "We have expressed our strong desire to see things de-escalate away from legal and governmental actions and toward reasonable agreements," Altman said.
Twitter Post
OpenAI to deploy models on Department of War's classified network
Tonight, we reached an agreement with the Department of War to deploy our models in their classified network.
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 28, 2026
In all of our interactions, the DoW displayed a deep respect for safety and a desire to partner to achieve the best possible outcome.
AI safety and wide distribution of…
AI rivalry
Pentagon's hostile stance toward Anthropic
The agreement starkly contrasts the Pentagon's increasingly hostile stance toward Anthropic. The AI lab firmly rejected its systems being used for fully autonomous weapons or mass domestic surveillance. Tensions escalated further when Trump ordered all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology, accusing it of trying to blackmail the military and jeopardizing US troops and national security.
AI defense
DoD classifies Anthropic as supply-chain risk
In response to the escalating situation, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei defended his company's position. He said they wouldn't compromise on the safety restrictions integrated into their Claude AI system and that some use cases are beyond ethical and technical boundaries. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Department of War would formally classify Anthropic as a supply-chain risk, potentially shutting it out from defense-related contracts.