OpenAI said ‘Yes’ where Anthropic said ‘No’: Sam Altman's AMA reasons the Pentagon deal

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been in the crossfire for signing the deal with the Pentagon, where Anthropic backed out due to AI readiness concerns. To provide clarity over OpenAI’s Pentagon deal, Altman conducted an AMA on X (formerly Twitter), explaining how governments and AI companies will be increasingly intertwined as AI becomes central to national security.

Throughout the AMA, we spotted a few key takeaways about the deal with the Pentagon, the military's plans to deploy AI, and what it means for the ongoing debate around responsible AI deployment in high-stakes, life-or-death environments.

OpenAI-Pentagon deal was 'rushed’

During the AMA session, an X user asked about how long OpenAI have been in the conversation with DoW, and the reason behind the announcement, when Anthropic backed out.

Replying to the query, Alman stated that the conversation was going on for a “time-long.” However, he stated that, “We have said no to previous deals in a classified setting that Anthropic took.” 

“This week, things shifted into high gear on the classified side. We found the DoW to be flexible on what we needed, and we want to support them in their very important mission,” he said.

“The reason for rushing is an attempt to de-escalate the situation,” Altman said on X. 

Contract language that convinced OpenAI to say “Yes”

X user bluntly asked Almtan about why DoD went with OpenAI and why Anthropic denied the deal.

To provide an answer, Altman refused to speak about Anthropic’s deal with the Pentagon, but he highlighted why OpenAI may have gotten the deal first. 

Altman said, “I have seen what happens in tense negotiations when things get stressed and deteriorate super fast, and I could believe that was a large part of what happened here.”

Highlighting where Anthropic went, Altman said that the AI company was Anthropic was mainly concerned with making sure certain explicit restrictions in the contract were clear and acceptable, rather than relying on broader legal rules or regulations.

Atman added, “We and the DoW got comfortable with the contractual language, but I can understand other people would have a different opinion here.”

 

AI to combat cyber attacks and contribute to biosecurity

Altman noted two areas where AI could prove particularly valuable. First, it can strengthen the US's "ability to defend against major cyber attacks,” especially where the electrical grid could be targeted and taken offline.

Secondly, biosecurity is another area where AI could play a major role. However, Altman stated, “I do not think we are currently set up well enough to detect and respond to a novel pandemic threat.”