OpenAI looked ‘opportunistic and sloppy’ in rushed deal with Pentagon, CEO Sam Altman admits

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that the company, having rushed to secure a deal with the Pentagon for use of its advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems in classified environments, looked “opportunistic and sloppy” given the timing.

Taking to X, Altman said the company should not have hurried to announce the agreement on Friday. “We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy. Good learning experience for me as we face higher-stakes decisions in the future,” he wrote.



OpenAI announced its deal with the department only hours after its rival Anthropic refused to accept unconditional military use of its Claude AI models, triggering criticism from US officials.

In the post, Altman also repeated his earlier objection to the Pentagon’s decision to label Anthropic a ‘supply chain risk’. “In my conversations over the weekend, I reiterated that Anthropic should not be designated as a SCR, and that we hope the DoW offers them the same terms we’ve agreed to,” he said.

He further announced that an all-hands meeting would take place on Wednesday morning to respond to further questions.

Deal amendment

Altman also said OpenAI would revise its contract with the Pentagon to make clear that its models will not be used for "domestic surveillance", after concerns that the deal handed too much authority to military officials without proper oversight.

"Consistent with applicable laws, including the Fourth Amendment...the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals," Altman wrote in his post.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the Department understands this limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of US persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information," the post added.

Altman also confirmed that OpenAI’s services will not be used by Department of War intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency. Any use by those agencies would require a follow-on change to the contract.

How it began

The dispute started when the Pentagon sought access to Anthropic’s AI models, including use in sensitive areas such as weapons development and intelligence work. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei resisted, raising concerns that such an agreement could allow mass domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons, putting the company’s $200 million July 2025 contract with the Department of War at risk.

Also Read: Anthropic CEO calls supply chain risk designation 'retaliatory and punitive’, signals legal challenge

After Anthropic declined, the Pentagon, under US President Donald Trump, designated it a supply chain risk, effectively urging defence partners to cut ties with the company. A day later, OpenAI announced its agreement with the department, granting access to its AI systems for all lawful uses.

Altman later said during an Ask Me Anything session that the move was a calculated risk. If it reduces friction and steadies relations between government and industry, it will have been worth the reputational cost; if not, OpenAI accepts that it may face criticism for acting too quickly.