Overview
- Caitlin Kalinowski, director of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday over the company’s agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense.
- She said OpenAI did not allow enough time to deliberate before agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks.
- Kalinowski framed her departure as a governance decision, citing concerns about surveillance without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization.
- OpenAI responded that the deal carries additional safeguards and reiterated its red lines against use in domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons, pledging continued engagement with employees, government and civil society.
- The move intensifies industry scrutiny of defense partnerships as critics question potential military and surveillance uses; Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after roles at Meta and Apple.