A senior manager at OpenAI has resigned in protest over the company’s collaboration with the U.S. Military. Caitlin Kalinowski, who led robotics and hardware at OpenAI, announced her departure on Saturday, citing concerns about a recent contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. Kalinowski stated that OpenAI did not allow sufficient time for deliberation before agreeing to allow its AI models to be used within the department’s classified cloud networks.
The resignation highlights the increasing scrutiny faced by artificial intelligence companies as they navigate partnerships with defense organizations, raising questions about ethical considerations and potential risks. Kalinowski explained her decision on X, stating, “AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got.”
Kalinowski, who joined OpenAI in November 2024 after previously leading augmented reality glass development at Meta, emphasized that her departure was “about principle, not people” and expressed “deep respect” for CEO Sam Altman and the OpenAI team. She further clarified her concerns in a follow-up post, stating, “My issue is that the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined. It’s a governance concern first and foremost. These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed.”
OpenAI confirmed Kalinowski’s resignation to TechCrunch, stating, “We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI although making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons.” The company added that it recognizes “people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world.”
The agreement between OpenAI and the Pentagon, announced late last month, came after discussions with Anthropic fell apart. Anthropic had sought safeguards to prevent its technology from being used for mass domestic surveillance or in fully autonomous weapons systems. Following the failed negotiations, the Pentagon designated Anthropic as a supply-chain risk.
CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that the rollout of the OpenAI deal appeared “opportunistic,” and the company has since moved to clarify restrictions on how its systems can be used by the military, according to Fortune. The development underscores the complex challenges AI developers face in balancing national security interests with ethical considerations and public concerns.
Kalinowski’s resignation adds to the growing debate surrounding the ethical implications of AI in military applications, a discussion that is likely to intensify as these technologies become more integrated into defense strategies, as reported by the San Francisco Standard.
