Caitlin Kalinowski resigned from OpenAI after they signed a defense contract with the Pentagon. The announcement of this partnership brought about much debate regarding whether or not this was appropriate for OpenAI to pursue, particularly with regard to using AI models with the ability to communicate securely within a Department of Defence classified defense network.
Kalinowski has expressed concerns about the accelerated approval of the mid-decisions, and that the final agreement lacks appropriate safeguards to ensure the ethics of the decisions made. She stated: “AI is a very important tool & technology.” However, Kalinowski indicated the need for tighter, more formal governance to adequately mitigate surveillance risks. She further stated that more sensitive decisions need to be subjected to a more stringent review process. Kalinowski went to OpenAI from working in the development of Augmented-Reality Hardware, which she has been developing since 2024.
Ethical concerns emerge over the OpenAI Pentagon contract
This debate reflects wider arguments about the use, as researchers are unsure if AI can be used respectfully in the military, and critics question whether it should be used in the context of surveillance and unmanned weapon systems. Kalinowski, in particular, has publicly raised these types of threats and should have no judicial review for the “surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight.” She has also continued to speak about “lethal autonomy without the decision of a human being.” Kalinowski believes these types of threats require greater examination and stated that the announcement appeared rushed, stating that there were no rules to ensure fairness. The total cost of the contract between the Pentagon and the company is expected to be around $200 million. This contract was created after the previous negotiation attempt with Anthropic had failed.
Public backlash grows as AI competition intensifies
Many users were outraged over the agreement, canceling their accounts with ChatGPT shortly after the announcement. As a result of the backlash, #CancelChatGPT began trending on social media, and many users left ChatGPT in favor of Anthropic’s chatbot, Claude.
This situation has increased competition among AI companies. OpenAI continues to defend its relationship with the government, stating that the new agreement has been structured with strict transparency standards, including identifiable operational lines of separation that prohibit domestic surveillance and automatic weapon development, as well as a commitment to continue engaging with the public and civil society. Additionally, Sam Altman continues to be an advocate for AI/national security agreements; however, employee turnover at AI firms demonstrates that the industry is in a period of internal turmoil.
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