OpenAI briefs government agencies and Five Eyes on GPT-5.4-Cyber as AI cybersecurity race heats up

How Cyber Command is building its AI cyber war playbook

Why it matters: Anthropic's models are pushing the frontier, but the company's fight with the Pentagon has complicated the rollout of its latest models within government. * Cyber Command is largely sidestepping that debate -- building infrastructure designed to swap between models regardless of vendor or origin. * "To survive anywhere, just in case our operators want an open-source made-in-China model or something very boutique, we have to create the infrastructure and that ability to be agile -- no politics," Brig. Gen. Reid Novotny, chief AI officer at Cyber Command, told Axios. * "Our operators are very well set for what they need right now." State of play: The White House is still negotiating access to Anthropic's Mythos Preview, which the company has held back due to its hacking capabilities. Now, only a patchwork of agencies -- including the National Security Agency and the Department of Commerce's AI testing institute, but not CISA -- have access to the model. * Meanwhile, OpenAI is capitalizing on the confusion and quickly engaging with federal, state and international government offices to deploy its competing product, GPT-5.4-Cyber. What they're saying: "I'm zero percent concerned about politics," Novotny told Axios at the SANS AI Cybersecurity Summit in Arlington. * "There are so many things we can do in the space right now: adopting newer technologies, going after companies that are model agnostic," he said. Driving the news: 2026 marks the first year Cyber Command has dedicated funding for AI programs, after years of lead time inside the Pentagon and Congress. * The command is using that funding to pilot commercial AI capabilities while building underlying infrastructure that allows operators to switch between models as technology evolves. * Novotny said that flexibility extends even to models developed outside the U.S. The big picture: Novotny -- the first AI officer at Cyber Command -- is tasked with integrating AI into both offensive and defensive cyber operations. * That includes using models to accelerate operations and process large volumes of intelligence data, but also embracing a level of risk inherent in military missions. * "The true point of our military, at some scope and scale, is to be less secure and a little bit more dangerous," he said during a panel. Zoom in: A major concern externally is whether AI systems could misidentify or improperly target civilian infrastructure. But Novotny said those risks are governed by existing military rules, not new AI-specific policies. * "If we train a model to go hack an entire country, we know going in about hospitals, schools and so on," he said. * "We know what we need to do and not do, and then we prove it out, making sure the model is doing what we say," Novotny said. "I don't want to say we're not worried about it, but we know how to apply our morals and our laws when we adopt a new technology." Reality check: Cyber Command is testing varying levels of human oversight, but fully autonomous deployment is off the table. * "We would never unleash a human-out-of-the-loop tool and then be like, 'Oops, we just turned something on,'" Novotny said. Between the lines: Former military leaders and industry operators say the bigger challenge is how quickly the command can put AI models to use. * Lt. Gen. Lori Reynolds, former head of the Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, said last week during Vanderbilt University's Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats that AI is likely to strain the military's "persistent engagement" model, which was built around a small number of sophisticated adversaries. * "It's insufficient by itself," Reynolds said. "We have to learn to fight hurt, we have to learn to trust our data, but we should be doing everything we can to constantly be sparring as far away from our territory as we can." What to watch: AI's role in cyber warfare is expanding as vendors race to secure Pentagon contracts and adversaries like China integrate AI into their operations. * Google has signed a deal with the Pentagon to use Gemini in classified government operations, according to The Information. Anthropic was first into the classified space, followed by OpenAI earlier this year. Go deeper: The age of AI asymmetry

Exclusive: OpenAI briefs feds and Five Eyes on new cyber product

Why it matters: Companies and agencies are clamoring to get their hands on the latest AI tools, whose advanced cybersecurity capabilities promise big gains for defenders and frightening advances for malicious hackers. Driving the news: OpenAI held an event in D.C. on Tuesday for approximately 50 cyber defense practitioners across the federal government to demo the capabilities of its new GPT-5.4-Cyber model, which it rolled out under a tiered access program last week. * Government applicants are going through the same vetting process as commercial customers who wish to join its Trusted Access for Cyber program, a source familiar said. * Attendees included a range of officials from across the government and national security agencies, most of whom oversee day-to-day cyber tasks. Split screen: OpenAI rolled out its new cyber model hot on the heels of Anthropic's Mythos Preview, and both companies are currently working with government agencies to determine who will have access. * Anthropic withheld a public release of Mythos, citing its cyber risks, and offered it only to around 40 companies and organizations, including at least two in the federal government. * OpenAI is pursuing a dual-track approach of making one version of its model more widely available with strong safeguards in place, while releasing another more cyber-permissive version to defenders through the Trusted Access program. Zoom in: At Tuesday's event, OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane said that approach would allow more companies, like local water utilities, to access advanced AI tools. * Sasha Baker, OpenAI's head of national security policy, told attendees that OpenAI hopes to partner with government departments to prioritize the most crucial use cases and build channels to share threat intelligence across sectors. * The company is also working with state governments to get them access to GPT-5.4-Cyber. The intrigue: OpenAI is starting briefings with Five Eyes members this week to get them vetted and signed up to access the model, Axios has learned. * In addition to the U.S., that intelligence-sharing partnership includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.K. Anthropic's own rollout within the U.S. government is complicated by the Pentagon's decision to label the company as a "supply chain risk" after a messy AI safeguards fight. * Still, Mythos is currently being tested by the NSA despite the designation, as Axios reported. Between the lines: Most companies that already have access to OpenAI's model and Anthropic's Mythos Preview are using the tools to find exploitable security flaws in their own internal systems.

OpenAI, Microsoft expand cybersecurity partnership amid rising AI threats

OpenAI and Microsoft are joining forces to combat cyber threats. They will deploy advanced artificial intelligence tools to enhance security. OpenAI's powerful AI models will be accessible to Microsoft. Microsoft will use its cybersecurity expertise to protect OpenAI's systems and customers. This collaboration aims to strengthen defenses against evolving cyber risks. OpenAI and Microsoft on Thursday announced an expanded cybersecurity partnership to deploy advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools against cyber threats. In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, the company said OpenAI will provide Microsoft access to its most advanced cyber-capable AI models through its Trusted Access for Cyber programme. Microsoft, in turn, will apply its cybersecurity infrastructure and expertise including its Secure Future Initiative, to help protect OpenAI's systems, models and shared customers. The companies did not disclose financial terms or a timeline for the deal. Introduced in February this year, OpenAI's pilot "Trusted Access for Cyber," is an identity-based framework designed to ensure that its most powerful cybersecurity capabilities are primarily deployed by vetted users. OpenAI spent $10 million in API credits through its Cybersecurity Grant Programme to accelerate adoption among security teams, particularly those focused on identifying and fixing vulnerabilities, per a company blog post. Cybersecurity in focus The announcement comes as a response to rapid advances in AI. "AI models are becoming much more capable in cybersecurity, and that progress raises the bar for everyone," OpenAI said. The development follows rising cybersecurity issues due to Anthropic's Mythos model, which Microsoft itself plans to embed into its secure coding framework, as the company steps up its cybersecurity capabilities. Microsoft recently evaluated Mythos, using its own open-source benchmark for real-world ⁠detection engineering tasks, and the "results showed substantial improvements relative to prior models." OpenAI's push for cyber defense OpenAI, meanwhile, unveiled GPT-5.4-Cyber earlier this month, which is a variant of its latest flagship ⁠model fine-tuned specifically for defensive cybersecurity work. The ChatGPT-maker has been resilient in building cyber defense capabilities. OpenAI said its cybersecurity strategy centers on three principles: expanding access to legitimate defenders, deploying systems iteratively, and investing in ecosystem resilience. It also held ⁠an event in Washington for about 50 cyber defense practitioners across the federal government to demo the capabilities of its new GPT-5.4-Cyber model. The Sam Altman-led company has been ramping up efforts since December last year, saying it is "investing in strengthening models for defensive cybersecurity tasks". In a blog post published earlier this month, OpenAI said it has supported defenders since 2023 through its Cybersecurity Grant Programme and has expanded tooling such as Codex Security, which automatically scans codebases, validates vulnerabilities and proposes fixes. According to the company, the system has contributed to fixing more than 3,000 critical and high-severity vulnerabilities since its recent rollout. The firm also said it has reached more than 1,000 open-source projects with free security scanning tools.

OpenAI Briefs Governments On New Cyber AI Model Amid Anthropic Claude Rivalry

OpenAI met with 50 cyber defense practitioners across various federal agencies, state governments, and Five Eyes allies to unveil its new GPT-5.4-Cyber model. The artificial intelligence company held an event in D.C. on Tuesday to demo the capabilities of this new cyber model, which debuted as a tiered access program last week, Axios reported. The model will be deployed through a dual-track approach, with one version broadly accessible and equipped with strong safeguards, and a separate, more cyber-capable version reserved for defenders via the Trusted Access program. The pilot program was announced in February in an effort to "enhance baseline safeguards for all users while piloting trusted access for defensive acceleration." The model will also be available via an "intelligence-sharing partnership" that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K., Axios noted. GPT-5.4-Cyber rivals Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview, a model which is used to hunt and fix software flaws in an effort to "reshape" cybersecurity. Anthropic expanded access to Mythos to more than 40 additional organizations involved in critical software infrastructure, covering both proprietary and open-source code. This move comes as AI capabilities surrounding cybersecurity have reached a "tipping point." Government officials have recently raised concerns that artificial intelligence tools could be misused to disrupt critical infrastructure such as financial systems or power grids. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have engaged with government agencies (including defense and public-sector organizations) to deploy or evaluate AI systems in controlled settings, often with a focus on security, safety, and sensitive use cases. It was recently reported that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is allegedly using Anthropic's restricted artificial intelligence model, Claude Mythos Preview, for cyber defense despite the Pentagon blacklisting the company by designating it a supply chain risk. Photo: Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

OpenAI offers a new cyber weapon to U.S. Intelligence and its allies

OpenAI's offensive move comes immediately after the launch of competitor Anthropic's Mythos model. The two companies are now competing for access to government agencies. OpenAI has begun a series of briefings for federal agencies, U.S. state governments, and the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance countries regarding the capabilities of its new cyber model. According to a report on Axios, companies and government agencies worldwide are eager to get their hands on the most advanced artificial intelligence tools, which on one hand offer enormous advantages to cyber defenders, but on the other carry destructive potential if they fall into the hands of malicious hackers. OpenAI held a special event in Washington for approximately 50 cybersecurity experts from across the federal government, where the capabilities of its new model, GPT-5.4-Cyber, were demonstrated. The model was recently launched as part of a tiered access program, and government officials are undergoing a rigorous vetting process similar to that of commercial clients. The company now appears to be adopting a dual-track approach: Distributing a public version with strict safeguards alongside a more permissive and advanced version released exclusively to authorized defense entities. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's Vice President of Global Affairs, noted at the event that this approach would also enable sensitive civilian bodies, such as local water utilities, to gain access to these advanced tools. Sasha Baker, the company's Head of National Security Policy, added that OpenAI intends to establish partnerships with government offices and build channels for sharing threat intelligence across different sectors. OpenAI's offensive move comes immediately after the launch of competitor Anthropic's Mythos model. The two companies are now competing for access to government agencies. However, while Anthropic has refrained from publicly releasing its model due to cybersecurity risks, its deployment within government has faced significant challenges. According to Axios, the Pentagon has labeled Anthropic a "supply chain risk" following a fierce dispute over AI safety, although it is important to note that the National Security Agency (NSA) is still evaluating the model. As noted, OpenAI is conducting briefings with the "Five Eyes" countries - an intelligence alliance that includes the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom - with the aim of approving their entry into the program. Most organizations that already have access to the new models are using them to identify security vulnerabilities in their internal systems. Since many government agencies contend with outdated computing systems that are difficult to secure, these AI tools are expected to help significantly accelerate the process of identifying critical weaknesses before it is too late.

OpenAI Begins Briefing Governments on Cybersecurity Capabilities | PYMNTS.com

The AI startup held an event in Washington D.C. Tuesday (April 21) where it demonstrated its new GPT-5.4-Cyber model, Axios reported. The report, citing a source familiar with the matter, said attendees included officials from throughout the government and from various national security agencies, most of whom are in charge of day-to-day cyber tasks. OpenAI is also working with state governments to get them access to GPT-5.4-Cyber, the report said, and is beginning to brief the "Five Eyes," a multi-national intelligence-sharing alliance made up of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The company is taking a dual-track approach, the report said, making one version of its model more widely available with robust safeguards, and another more permissive version for cyber defenders through its Trusted Access program. OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane said during Tuesday's meeting that this tactic will let more companies, like local water utilities, access advanced AI tools. Sasha Baker, who heads the company's national security policy, told attendees that OpenAI hopes to work with government departments to prioritize the most crucial usages and share threat intelligence across sectors. This effort is happening soon after OpenAI rival Anthropic began previewing its Mythos AI model. That startup has held off on a wide release of Mythos, claiming it is too dangerous. Instead, Anthropic has offered the model to around 40 companies and organizations, including some within the government. The report came the same day that Anthropic said it was investigating reports that a small group of people had gained access to Mythos through a third-party vendor. The company told PYMNTS it had found no evidence this activity extended beyond that vendor. Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote last week about an evaluation of Mythos by the U.K. Government's AI Security Institute (AISI). The chief takeaway from those findings, the report said, is not that AI can already carry out flawless cyberattacks. In fact, the AISI report noted that the success rate is limited. "But systems that can plan and execute multistage intrusions, even inconsistently, represent a baseline that will improve," PYMNTS added. "More compute, better orchestration, and tighter integration with external tools will incrementally close the gap between partial and reliable capability."