OpenAI has reached an agreement with the US Department of Defense to deploy its artificial intelligence models on classified military networks just hours after the White House ordered federal agencies to stop using technology from rival Anthropic.
Late Friday post in October, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced the deal, saying the company would deliver its models on the Pentagon’s “secret network.” He wrote that the department showed a “deep respect for safety” and a willingness to work within the company’s operational boundaries.
The announcement came during a tumultuous week for the artificial intelligence sector. Earlier in the day, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth marked Anthropic “national security supply chain risk” – a term usually applied to foreign adversaries. The ruling requires defense contractors to certify that they do not employ the company’s models.
At the same time, President Donald Trump directed to immediately discontinue employ of Anthropic technology by every U.S. federal agency, providing a six-month transition period for agencies already using its systems.
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Talks at the Anthropic Pentagon collapse over limits on the employ of artificial intelligence
Anthropic was the first artificial intelligence lab to deploy models in a classified Pentagon environment as part of a $200 million contract signed in July. The negotiations ended in failure when the company demanded a guarantee that its software would not be used to produce autonomous weapons or for mass surveillance in the country. The Department of Defense insisted that the technology be available for all lawful military purposes.
In Anthropic’s statement he said expressed “deeply saddened” by the appointment and intends to challenge the decision in court. The company warned that the move could set a precedent affecting the way U.S. tech companies negotiate with government agencies as political scrutiny of artificial intelligence partnerships tightens.
Altman said OpenAI maintains similar restrictions and that they were written into the novel contract. According to him, the company prohibits mass surveillance in the country and requires human responsibility in decisions related to the employ of force, including automatic weapons systems.
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OpenAI faces backlash after deal
Meanwhile, some X users expressed skepticism. “I just canceled ChatGPT and bought Claude Pro Max” – Christopher Hale, American Democratic politician, he wrote. “One stands up for the God-given rights of the American people. The other bows to tyrants,” he added.
“2019 OpenAI: We will never help build weapons or surveillance tools. 2026 OpenAI: War Department, store my secret instance in the cloud. Integrity arc go brrrrrrr” – one cryptocurrency user he wrote.
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