Sam Altman says OpenAI will tweak its Pentagon deal after surveillance backlash

OpenAI has announced plans to revise its agreement with the Pentagon following public outcry regarding potential misuse of its AI technology for surveillance purposes. CEO Sam Altman addressed the concerns in an internal communication shared on X, revealing that the company is collaborating with the Pentagon to clarify their contract. In his message, Altman stated, "In accordance with applicable laws, including the Fourth Amendment, National Security Act of 1947, and FISA Act of 1978, our AI system will not be used intentionally for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals." He further confirmed that the Department of Defense has assured OpenAI that its services will not be employed by intelligence agencies such as the NSA without a formal modification to their agreement. This announcement comes on the heels of OpenAI finalizing a deal with the Pentagon to implement its AI models in classified military networks, which sparked controversy just as tensions escalated in international relations. Altman admitted that the company may have acted too hastily, noting, "The issues are super complex and require clear communication. We were genuinely trying to de-escalate the situation, but the timing made it appear opportunistic." The backlash against OpenAI's contract was swift, leading to protests in San Francisco and London, organized by advocacy group QuitGPT, which is calling for a boycott of the company. Altman has publicly rejected allegations that OpenAI's technology would be employed for domestic surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons, despite growing concerns and nearly 500 OpenAI and Google employees signing a letter supporting the stance taken by rival firm Anthropic against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. The situation remains fluid as OpenAI works to address public concerns while navigating the complexities of its military partnership.