OpenAI has reached an agreement with the United States Department of Defense to deploy its artificial intelligence models on secret military networks, hours after the White House ordered federal agencies to stop using rival company Anthropic’s technology.
In a keynote at X on Friday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced the deal, saying the company will provide its models inside the Pentagon’s “classified network.” He wrote that the department shows a “deep respect for safety” and a willingness to work within the company’s operations.
The announcement comes amid a turbulent week for the AI sector. That same day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Anthropic a “supply chain threat to national security,” a designation typically applied to foreign adversaries. The order requires defense contractors to certify that they are not using the company’s models.
President Donald Trump also ordered every US federal agency to immediately stop using Anthropic’s technology, with a six-month transition period for agencies already relying on its systems.
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The Pentagon’s anthropic negotiations are overturned by limits on the use of AI
Anthropic was the first AI lab to deploy models in the Pentagon’s classified environment as part of a $200 million contract signed in July. The negotiations came after the company sought assurances that its software would not be used for autonomous weapons or internal mass surveillance. The Ministry of Defense insisted that this technology be available for all legitimate military purposes.
In a statement, Anthropic said it is “deeply saddened” by the appointment and plans to challenge the decision in court. The company warned that the move could set a precedent for how US tech companies negotiate with government agencies as political scrutiny of AI partnerships continues.
Altman said OpenAI maintains similar restrictions, and they are written into the new agreement. According to him, the company prohibits internal mass surveillance and requires human responsibility in decisions about the use of force, including automatic weapons systems.
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OpenAI faces backlash after deal
Meanwhile, some users were skeptical of the X. “I just canceled ChatGPT and bought Claude Pro Max,” wrote Christopher Hale, a US Democrat. “One defends the God-given rights of the American people. The other is against tyrants,” he added.
“2019 OpenAI: we never help build weapons or surveillance tools. 2026 OpenAI: War Department, keep my secret cloud sample. Integrity brrrrrrr,” wrote one crypto user.
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