OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is scrambling to calm internal tensions after employees rallied behind rival Anthropic's decision to draw hard lines on Pentagon AI deployments. In an internal memo obtained by CNBC, Altman told staff that OpenAI shares the same ethical boundaries as Anthropic when it comes to military applications, marking a significant shift in tone for a company that recently reversed its ban on military use cases. The memo comes as employee activism over defense contracts threatens to fracture the AI industry's two leading labs.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is trying to defuse a brewing crisis. In a memo to employees, he pledged to "help de-escalate" tensions with the Pentagon while insisting his company shares the same ethical red lines as rival Anthropic when it comes to military AI applications. The timing isn't coincidental - OpenAI staffers have been publicly voicing support for Anthropic's stricter stance on defense work, creating an uncomfortable moment for a company that only recently opened the door to military partnerships.
The internal memo, obtained by CNBC, reveals Altman walking a tightrope between employee activism and commercial opportunity. OpenAI quietly removed its blanket ban on military applications in January 2024, sparking immediate backlash from researchers who'd joined the lab because of its safety-first mission. Now those same employees are looking across the street at Anthropic and seeing a more principled approach.
Anthropic has carved out specific boundaries around offensive weapons systems, autonomous lethal decision-making, and surveillance applications that could enable human rights abuses. The company's public stance has won praise from AI safety advocates and apparently resonated with OpenAI's own workforce. When employees started circulating supportive messages about Anthropic's position, it forced Altman's hand.
