OpenAI robotics chief quits over Pentagon deal, surveillance concerns

OpenAI's top robotics executive on Saturday resigned over the artificial intelligence giant's deal with the US government to allow its technology's deployment for war and domestic surveillance. In a post shared on social media platform X, Caitlin Kalinowski wrote that the decision to deploy OpenAI’s models on Pentagon classified networks was made too quickly and without any sufficient safeguards. “AI has an important role in national security,” Kalinowski wrote. “But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got.” She added."This was about principle, not people," she wrote.

I resigned from OpenAI. I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn’t an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are…

— Caitlin Kalinowski (@kalinowski007) March 7, 2026

The company behind ChatGPT secured a defence contract with the Pentagon last month, hours after rival Anthropic refused to agree to unconditional military use of their technology. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman later posted to X saying the startup would be modifying a contract so its models would not be used for "domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals," after criticism it was giving too much power to military officials without oversight.Anthropic's refusal to authorise use of its Claude AI models had prompted backlash from US officials.