Who's Caitlin Kalinowski? OpenAI robotics chief resigns over Pentagon deal
What's the story
Caitlin Kalinowski, the head of OpenAI's robotics team, has resigned from her position. The decision comes in the wake of a controversial agreement between OpenAI and the US Department of Defense (DoD). Kalinowski announced her resignation on social media platform X, saying it wasn't an easy decision but one she had to make. "I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together," she said in her post.
Ethical concerns
Concerns about AI in national security
Kalinowski expressed her concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in national security. She said, "AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." The statement indicates her discomfort with the potential misuse of AI technology for surveillance purposes.
Career history
Kalinowski's professional background
Kalinowski joined OpenAI in November 2024 as a member of the technical staff in robotics. Prior to her stint at OpenAI, she was the head of Meta Platforms's augmented reality (AR) glasses from March 2022 to June 2024. She also served as the head of virtual reality (VR) hardware for Oculus VR from February 2013 to March 2022 and was a product design engineer for Apple from April 2007 to January 2013.
Twitter Post
'This wasn't an easy call': Kalinowski
I resigned from OpenAI. I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn’t an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are…
— Caitlin Kalinowski (@kalinowski007) March 7, 2026
Company statement
OpenAI responds to Kalinowski's resignation
In light of Kalinowski's departure, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the news and issued a statement. The company said it believes its agreement with the Pentagon "creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." The statement also acknowledged that people have strong views on these issues and promised continued engagement with employees, government, civil society, and communities around the world.
Public reaction
Pentagon deal followed failed negotiations with Anthropic
The Pentagon deal was announced after failed negotiations between the Pentagon and Anthropic. The latter had sought safeguards against its technology being used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. As a result, the Pentagon designated Anthropic as a supply-chain risk. Despite this, OpenAI went ahead with its own agreement. This has reportedly led to a surge in ChatGPT uninstalls by users unhappy with the decision, while Claude topped App Store charts during this time.