OpenAI enters Silicon Valley's hot new biz: War

As part of the agreement, OpenAI's technology won't be used with Anduril's other weapons systems

- Heather Somerville & Deepa Seetharaman

OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT, is getting into the business of war.

The world's most valuable AI company has agreed to work with Anduril Industries, a leading defense-tech startup, to add its technology to systems the U.S. military uses to counter drone attacks.

The partnership, which the companies announced Wednesday, marks OpenAI's deepest involvement yet with the Defense Department and its first tie-up with a commercial weapons maker.

It is the latest example of Silicon Valley's dramatic turn from shunning the Pentagon a few years ago to now forging deeper ties with the national-security complex.

OpenAI, valued at more than $150 billion, previously barred its AI from being used in military and warfare.

In January, it changed its policies to allow some collaborations with the military.

While the company still prohibits the use of its technology in offensive weapons, it has made deals with the Defense Department for cybersecurity work and other projects.

This year, OpenAI added former National Security Agency chief Paul Nakasone to its board and hired former Defense Department official Sasha Baker to create a team focused on national-security policy.

Other tech companies are making similar moves, arguing that the U.S. must treat AI technology as a strategic asset to bolster national security against countries like China.

Last month, startup Anthropic said it would give access to its AI to the U.S. military through a partnership with Palantir Technologies.

OpenAI will incorporate its tech into Anduril's counterdrone systems software, the companies said.