OpenAI and Anduril Industries announced their partnership to deploy advanced AI systems aimed at enhancing the operations of national security. The partnership is focused on improving CUAS, detecting, assessing, and responding in real-time to aerial threats, and it will leverage leading AI models to assist human operators in synthesizing time-sensitive data and hence improve situational awareness while reducing operational burdens.
The deal has marked a growing trend wherein AI companies are increasingly making overtures toward the defense sector, which they were previously opposed to. OpenAI, which had initially banned using its AI tools for the military, had softened its position in January 2024 by removing all references to its terms regarding military use. That was at the same time when it began expanding the scope of its cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense, particularly in producing AI-based cybersecurity tools.
This step by OpenAI is a part of an overall industry shift as other AI companies also venture into partnerships with defense contractors. In November 2024, Anthropic, an AI startup launched by former OpenAI executives, partnered with Palantir and Amazon Web Services to offer AI models for US intelligence and defense agencies. Similarly, Palantir entered into a significant contract that would extend its Maven AI warfare program that works on military applications powered by AI.
The OpenAI-Anduril deal also raises the ethical questions of AI in defense. Anduril is a company co-founded by Palmer Luckey, which promises to enhance military capabilities using AI, especially in unmanned drone defense. The company could not say whether the introduction of AI would decrease the number of human operators participating in critical decision-making processes in warfare, raising more concerns about the autonomous use of AI in high-stakes military operations.
OpenAI has stated that the partnership with Anduril is for the safety of U.S. military personnel from unmanned drone attacks. However, this collaboration has come after years of controversy surrounding tech companies’ involvement in military projects. Public protests by tech employees over military contracts, such as those involving Google’s Project Maven and Microsoft‘s deal for an augmented-reality headset, reflect ongoing industry concerns over the ethics of AI in war.
