OpenAI Puts on Epaulets: Pentagon Contract

On February 28, 2026, OpenAI officially agreed to the terms of deploying its AI models in isolated (air-gapped) and classified networks of the US Department of Defense.

The deal effectively kills the company's original manifesto of creating "AI for the benefit of all humanity." Access to military budgets required compromises: OpenAI agreed to remove strict safety filters for army needs. Technically, this is a highly complex task — the models must run locally within the DoD's secure perimeter without connecting to external telemetry servers. For Sam Altman, this is an absolute geopolitical triumph: OpenAI de facto becomes a key digital contractor for the US military-industrial complex, monopolizing the generative AI market in the military.

Source: Reuters / Axios