OpenAI's robotics head quits over Pentagon deal
Caitlin Kalinowski, who led robotics at OpenAI, has stepped down after the company signed a deal with the Pentagon.
She said AI is important for national security, but flagged big issues: "Surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got."
Kalinowski's principled stand
Kalinowski called her exit a matter of principle, saying she respected CEO Sam Altman and was proud of her team's work.
Her main worry? The deal was rushed and lacked clear limits on government surveillance or autonomous weapons.
OpenAI says its agreement includes technical safeguards and bans those uses.
OpenAI signed on with the Pentagon
OpenAI signed on with the Pentagon right after rival AI company Anthropic turned down a similar offer over the same concerns.
That move got them labeled "radical woke" by President Donald Trump, who urged agencies to avoid their tech.
The defense secretary later banned contractors from working with Anthropic, calling them a supply chain risk.