OpenAI is negotiating a deal with The Pentagon (fortune.com)

OpenAI is in advanced negotiations with the U.S. Department of War for a contract that would allow the deployment of its AI models for military applications, as revealed by CEO Sam Altman during an all-hands meeting. This development follows a public fallout between the Pentagon and OpenAI's rival, Anthropic, which recently lost all its federal contracts due to disagreements over the use of AI technology in potentially controversial areas like domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. The discussions have significant implications for the AI/ML community, as they highlight the ongoing debate about the ethical use of AI in defense settings. Key components of the potential agreement include OpenAI's ability to establish its own "safety stack," which would dictate how AI is used, and the retention of control over model deployment in secure cloud environments rather than edge systems like drones. Notably, the Pentagon is reportedly willing to honor OpenAI's ethical "red lines," including not using its technology for mass surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons. This shift underscores a pivotal moment in the relationship between AI developers and governmental bodies, as ethical considerations increasingly shape the future of AI applications in national security.