OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended the company's collaboration with the Pentagon for classified work during an all-hands meeting, addressing staff concerns about the implications of the deal. The partnership was announced shortly after the Defense Department designated competitor Anthropic as a supply-chain risk.

Anthropic has been criticized for its business practices with the U.S. Government and the Pentagon, described as arrogant and duplicitous. The Department of War demands full, unrestricted access to Anthropic's models for lawful defense purposes.

Anthropic signed a contract with the Pentagon that required the Pentagon to adhere to Anthropic's Usage Policy. In January, the Pentagon sought to renegotiate the contract to allow the use of Anthropic's AIs for "all lawful purposes," which Anthropic opposed unless assured their AIs would not be used for mass surveillance of American citizens.