News Summary

OpenAI has announced revisions to its recent contract with the U.S. Department of Defense following criticism that the deal could facilitate mass surveillance. CEO Sam Altman admitted that the agreement, initially struck hastily after the Pentagon dropped its previous AI contractor Anthropic, appeared ‘opportunistic and sloppy.’ OpenAI is now working to include explicit protections against the use of its AI technology for domestic surveillance. The move comes amid backlash from employees and the public, with many questioning the ethical implications of AI in military applications. Altman emphasized that OpenAI’s contract includes more safeguards than previous agreements, aiming to prevent its technology from being used for autonomous weapons or surveillance without oversight.