OpenAI's head of robotics resigns over Pentagon deal, citing rushed AI guardrails

OpenAI robotics lead Caitlin Kalinowski quits in response to Pentagon deal | TechCrunch

Hardware executive Caitlin Kalinowski announced today that in response to OpenAI's controversial agreement with the Department of Defense, she's resigned from her role leading the company's robotics team. "This wasn't an easy call," Kalinowski said in a social media post. "AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Kalinowski, who previously led the team building augmented reality glasses at Meta, joined OpenAI in November 2024. In her announcement today, she emphasized that the decision was "about principle, not people" and said she has "deep respect" for CEO Sam Altman and the OpenAI team. In a follow-up post on X, Kalinowski added, "To be clear, my issue is that the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined. It's a governance concern first and foremost. These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed Kalinowski's departure to TechCrunch. "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons," the company said in a statement. "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world." OpenAI's agreement with the Pentagon was announced just over a week ago, after discussions between the Pentagon and Anthropic fell through as the AI company tried to negotiate for safeguards preventing its technology from being used in mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon subsequently designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk. (Anthropic said it will fight the designation in court; in the meantime, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon said they will continue to make Anthropic's Claude available to non-defense customers.) Then, OpenAI quickly announced a agreement of its own allowing its technology to be used in classified environments. As executives attempted to explain the deal on social media, the company described it as taking "a more expansive, multi-layered approach" that relies not just on contract language, but also technical safeguards, to protect red lines similar to Anthropic's. Nonetheless, the controversy appears to have damaged OpenAI's reputation among some consumers, with ChatGPT uninstalls surging 295% and Claude climbing to the top of the App Store charts. As of Saturday afternoon, Claude and ChatGPT remain the U.S. App Store's number one and number two free apps, respectively.

OpenAI's Head of Robotics Resigns Over Company's Pentagon Deal

The head of OpenAI's robotics team resigned Saturday, citing the company's deal to deploy its artificial intelligence models within the Pentagon's classified network as the cause. "This wasn't an easy call," Caitlin Kalinowski wrote in a post on X. "AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." OpenAI confirmed Kalinowski's departure in an email statement and said it believes the agreement with the Defense Department "creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines, no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company said. TechCrunch previously reported Kalinowski's resignation. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in November 2024 as a member of the company's technical staff in robotics after leading development of augmented reality glasses for Meta, according to her LinkedIn profile. OpenAI struck its deal with the Pentagon in late February following the breakdown of talks between the Trump administration and Anthropic PBC, which pressed for assurances that its technology wouldn't be used for mass surveillance of Americans or for fully autonomous weapons. OpenAI hasn't said whether its services for the Pentagon will replace the work previously done by Anthropic. President Donald Trump ordered all government departments to stop working with Anthropic, and the Pentagon declared the company and its products a supply-chain risk. Anthropic, in turn, has said it would challenge the designation -- which previously was reserved for entities of adversary nations such as China's Huawei Technologies Co. -- in court. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said earlier this month that the company's rush to reach a deal with the Defense Department looked "opportunistic and sloppy." OpenAI also publicly disagreed with the blacklisting of Anthropic.

OpenAI Robotics head resigns after deal with Pentagon

March 7 (Reuters) - Caitlin Kalinowski, head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, citing concerns about the company's agreement with the Department of Defense. In a social media post on X, Kalinowski wrote that OpenAI did not take enough time before agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon's classified cloud networks. "AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski posted. "But surveillance of ⁠Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Reuters could not immediately reach Kalinowski for comment, but she wrote on X that while she has "deep respect" for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the team, the company announced the Pentagon deal "without the guardrails defined," she posted. "It's a governance concern first and foremost," Kalinowski wrote in ⁠a subsequent X post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." OpenAI said the day after the deal was struck that it includes additional safeguards to protect its use cases. The company on ⁠Saturday reiterated that its "red lines" preclude use of its technology in domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons. "We recognize that people have strong views about these ⁠issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the ⁠company said in a statement to Reuters. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after leading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab. Reporting by Karen Brettell; Editing by Sergio Non and Franklin Paul Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

OpenAI hardware leader resigns after deal with the Pentagon

In a social media post on X, Kalinowski wrote that OpenAI did not take enough time before agreeing ⁠to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon's ⁠classified cloud networks. "AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski posted. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Reuters could not immediately reach Kalinowski for comment, but she wrote on X that while she has "deep respect" for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the team, the company announced the ⁠Pentagon deal "without the guardrails defined," she posted. "It's a governance concern first and foremost," Kalinowski wrote in a subsequent X post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." OpenAI said the day after the deal was ⁠struck that it includes additional safeguards to protect its ⁠use cases. The company on Saturday reiterated that ⁠its "red lines" preclude use of its technology in domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons. "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company said in a statement to Reuters. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after leading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms.

OpenAI's head of robotics resigns following deal with the Department of Defense

OpenAI is going to need to find a new head of robotics. Caitlin Kalinowski, OpenAI's now-former head of robotics, posted on X that she was resigning from her role, while criticizing the company's haste in partnering with the Department of Defense without investigating proper guardrails. Kalinowski, who previously worked at Meta before leaving to join OpenAI in late 2024, wrote on X that "surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Responding to another post, the former OpenAI exec explained that "the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined," adding that it was a "governance concern first and foremost." OpenAI confirmed Kalinowski's resignation and said in a statement to Engadget that the company understands people have "strong views" about these issues and will continue to engage in discussions with relevant parties. The company also explained in the statement that it doesn't support the issues that Kalinowski brought up. "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons," the OpenAI statement read. Kalinowski's resignation may be the most high-profile fallout from OpenAI's decision to sign a deal with the Department of Defense. The decision came just after Anthropic refused to comply with lifting certain AI guardrails around mass surveillance and developing fully autonomous weapons. However, even OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, said that he would amend the deal with the Department of Defense to prohibit spying on Americans.

There Was Just an Unusually Unsettling Pentagon-Related Resignation at OpenAI

It wasn't an acrimonious departure, but this specific resignation coming right now might be cause for some soul-searching internally. It probably will not shock you to learn that someone just resigned from OpenAI and trumpeted their reasons far and wide on social media. You might not have even heard of Caitlin Kalinowski before this moment, and her online statement, which reads in part “I have deep respect for Sam and the team, and I’m proud of what we built together,†does not, in and of itself, make for riveting reading material. Amid the company’s high-profile deal with the Pentagon that CEO Sam Altman acknowledged “looked opportunistic and sloppy," it should come as no surprise that some employees are turned off. OpenAI’s rival, Anthropic, seems to be taking a victory lap, raking in record revenue after having successfully marketed itself as the AI company that wants to protect the world from mass surveillance and autonomous killer robots. I mention all this because of Kalinowski’s specific role: she was the leader of the company’s robotics division. So when Kalinowski says in her statement that “lethal autonomy without human authorization†deserved more deliberation than it got, she at least speaks with some knowledge of what kinds of AI-powered robots OpenAI has in mind. According to a Wired report from last year, anonymous leakers revealed that OpenAI had been seeking to hire humanoid robot specialists, or at least specialists in robots with partially human-inspired designs. It was also working toward creating AI algorithms that can “make sense of the physical world†and seeking to “empower robots to navigate and perform tasks.†Robotics-related job ads on the OpenAI website tend to begin with the line “Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings.â€Â That’s not to say any of OpenAI’s goals in robotics were accomplished, but when the person in charge of the most Terminator-like technology at your company leaves, and strongly implies that it’s because leadership was a little too cozy with a guy who calls himself the Secretary of War, that might reasonably be considered a moment for those in the C-suite to do some soul-searching.

OpenAI's robotics chief quits over the Pentagon deal

Caitlin Kalinowski spent 16 months building OpenAI's physical AI programme. On Saturday, she said the company moved too fast on something too important. The week that began with Anthropic being blacklisted by the Pentagon and ended with OpenAI taking its contract has now claimed OpenAI's most senior hardware executive. Caitlin Kalinowski, who joined OpenAI in November 2024 to lead its robotics and consumer hardware division, announced her resignation on Saturday on X. Her statement was short, direct, and more candid than anything OpenAI itself has said about the deal. "AI has an important role in national security," she wrote. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." In a subsequent post, she was more precise about the nature of the complaint. "It's a governance concern first and foremost," she wrote. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." Kalinowski was careful to frame her departure in personal terms. "This was about principle, not people," she wrote. "I have deep respect for Sam and the team." That last note carries some weight: Sam Altman has himself acknowledged that the Pentagon deal was "definitely rushed," and that the rollout produced significant backlash. What Kalinowski's resignation adds to that admission is a name and a title: the most senior person at OpenAI, whose job was to bring AI into physical systems, has decided that the process by which it will now enter weapons systems and surveillance infrastructure was not good enough. The sequence of events that led here unfolded over roughly a week. Anthropic, which had been the only AI company cleared to operate on the Pentagon's classified networks, following a $200 million contract awarded in July 2025, spent several weeks in tense negotiations with the Defense Department over the terms of continued use. Anthropic's position was that its models should not be deployed for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, insisted on language permitting use "for all lawful purposes," without specific carve-outs. On 28 February, with negotiations collapsed, President Trump directed all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology and called the company "radical woke" on Truth Social. Hegseth formally designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk to national security, a classification previously reserved for foreign adversaries, and one that requires DoD vendors and contractors to certify they do not use Anthropic's models. Hours later, Altman posted on X that OpenAI had reached its own agreement to deploy its models on the Pentagon's classified network. OpenAI's stated position is that its deal includes the same core protections Anthropic sought: no mass domestic surveillance, no autonomous weapons. The company published a blog post outlining its approach and arguing that its cloud-only deployment architecture, retained safety stack, and contractual provisions, anchored to existing US law rather than bespoke prohibitions, make its agreement more robust than any previous classified AI deployment, including Anthropic's. Kalinowski's career before OpenAI was unusual in its breadth. She spent nearly six years at Apple as a technical lead on the Mac Pro and MacBook Air programmes, including the original unibody MacBook Pro, before moving to Meta's Oculus division, where she led virtual reality hardware for more than nine years. Her final role at Meta was heading Project Nazare, later named Orion, the augmented reality glasses initiative Meta unveiled as a prototype in September 2024 and described as the most advanced AR glasses ever made. She joined OpenAI the following month. During her 16 months at OpenAI, Kalinowski built out what the company describes as its physical AI programme, including a San Francisco lab employing roughly 100 data collectors training a robotic arm on household tasks. Her departure leaves that effort without its most experienced hardware leader at a moment when OpenAI has staked considerable ambition on moving beyond software. OpenAI confirmed her resignation on Saturday and said in a statement: "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons. We recognise that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society, and communities around the world." The fallout from OpenAI's Pentagon deal has not been limited to internal dissent. ChatGPT uninstalls reportedly surged 295% following the announcement, and Anthropic's Claude climbed to the number-one position in the US App Store, displacing ChatGPT. As of Saturday afternoon, the two apps remained first and second, respectively.

OpenAI robotics leader resigns over concerns about Pentagon AI deal

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2025. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption A senior member of OpenAI's robotics team has resigned, citing concerns about how the company moved forward with a recently announced partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense. Caitlin Kalinowski, who served as a member of technical staff focused on robotics and hardware, posted on social media that she had stepped down on "principle" after the company revealed plans to make its AI systems available inside secure Defense Department computing systems. The agreement is part of a broader push by the U.S. government to incorporate advanced AI tools into national security work, a trend that has sparked debate across the tech industry about oversight and acceptable uses. In public posts explaining her decision, Kalinowski wrote: "I resigned from OpenAI. I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn't an easy call." She said policy guardrails around certain AI uses were not sufficiently defined before OpenAI announced an agreement with the Pentagon. "AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski wrote. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Kalinowski also emphasized that her concerns were more about the process rather than specific executives inside the company, saying she had "deep respect for Sam and the team, and I'm proud of what we built together," referring to OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. A spokesperson for OpenAI told NPR the company believes the agreement with the Pentagon "creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." It continued, saying the company recognized "people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world." Kalinowski's resignation comes amid heightened competition among leading developers of artificial intelligence to supply technology to the U.S. government. In recent weeks, federal agencies have turned to OpenAI and Google for AI systems as tensions increased with a rival firm, Anthropic, over the military use of its models. Anthropic's CEO spoke out against allowing the company's software to be used for applications such as domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons, a stance that led to clashes with defense officials -- including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth -- who said the department needs flexibility to deploy commercial AI tools in all "lawful" operations. Within OpenAI, Kalinowski's role focused on building out the company's robotics organization as it scaled. She wrote on her LinkedIn profile that this included hiring to support the company's expansion into AI efforts tied to physical infrastructure and machinery. Kalinowski signaled she plans to continue working in the same field. "I'm taking a little time, but I remain very focused on building responsible physical AI," she wrote.

OpenAI's head of robotics resigns over Pentagon deal, warning about surveillance and lethal autonomy

Executive calls for more deliberation around AI surveillance and autonomy * OpenAI's robotics chief, Caitlin Kalinowski, resigned after the company signed a defense contract with the Pentagon * She said the agreement raised concerns about the surveillance of Americans and autonomous weapons * The resignation highlights growing tensions inside the tech industry over AI's role in military systems OpenAI's head of robotics has stepped down after raising concerns about the company's agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense. Caitlin Kalinowski announced that she had resigned following a deal between OpenAI and the Pentagon to deploy the company's AI models in certain government systems. At OpenAI, Kalinowski led efforts focused on robotics and physical systems, an area that many researchers believe will define the next major stage of AI. But she felt compelled to leave regardless of that potential, driven by concerns about how quickly the agreement was reached and its possible implications for surveillance and autonomous weapons systems. She emphasized that her disagreement centered on governance rather than personal conflict. "Surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorisation are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got," she wrote. Her resignation highlights the increasingly complicated relationship between cutting-edge AI companies and the national security establishment. The timing of OpenAI's deal made it particularly noteworthy, as it was announced only hours after rival AI company Anthropic reportedly refused to authorize broad military uses of its own models. Anthropic's decision triggered a strong response from government officials, who subsequently designated the company as a supply chain risk after it declined to provide unrestricted access to its technology. Deals involving national security infrastructure typically involve lengthy negotiations and careful oversight. The rapid turnaround raised questions about OpenAI's own diligence. Kalinowski's public comments echoed those concerns. In a follow-up message explaining her resignation, she said the problem was not the concept of a defense partnership itself, but the pace at which the decision to move forward was made. Kalinowski's role with robotics made the Pentagon deal especially significant, as autonomous systems and robots all have potential military applications. Her departure nevertheless underscored the tension that sometimes arises when advanced technology meets national security priorities. Rushed AI deals That said, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has tried to calm the waters. He stated that the contract would be adjusted to ensure the company's models could not be used for domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens. While OpenAI has gestured towards opposing the development of fully autonomous lethal systems, having to say so doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Some government agencies increasingly view AI as a strategic capability that could shape the future balance of power. But some tech firms are uneasy about how closely they should collaborate with the military. Or if they aren't, they're at least uneasy about how their regular customers would react to them working with the military. Kalinowski's resignation is unlikely to derail OpenAI's defense partnership, but it might at least prompt further questions and perhaps slow things down a little. Some companies will conclude that collaboration with government agencies is necessary to ensure democratic oversight and the responsible use of advanced technology. But it may also remind the industry that decisions about how AI is used in national security deserve careful scrutiny. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Top OpenAI Executive Quits in Protest

Can't-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech A top OpenAI executive has quit the company over its agreement with the Department of Defense that allows its tech to be deployed across the military. The employee, Caitlin Kalinowski, who led OpenAI's hardware and robotics efforts, announced her resignation on social media Saturday. "This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security," wrote Kalinowski in a tweet. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." "This was about principle, not people," she added, insisting she still has "deep respect" for CEO Sam Altman. Last month, OpenAI announced a new deal with the Pentagon amid its rival Anthropic facing threats from top Trump officials for not coming to a similar agreement. Talks had fallen apart between Anthropic and the Pentagon because, according to CEO Dario Amodei, the company insisted on prohibiting its AI systems being used in the mass surveillance of US citizens and autonomous weaponry without humans in the loop. When it became clear Anthropic wouldn't budge, the Pentagon cut off the company and made good on its threat to declare it a "supply chain risk," which prohibits it from signing any military contracts. This spiralled into a public relations disaster for OpenAI, with many criticizing Altman for playing ball with a deeply unpopular and bellicose administration. Originally, OpenAI had agreed that its AI systems could be used for "all lawful purposes," and it was only after heated backlash that Altman said he would update the Pentagon deal to include specific protections on surveillance and autonomous weaponry. In short, OpenAI looked like it was selling out while Anthropic made out like heroes. The news sparked a mass exodus of users from OpenAI's ChatGPT to Anthropic's Claude, with the Claude app usurping ChatGPT from the top of the App Store. Dissent came within the industry, too. Over 1,000 former and current workers from OpenAI and Google have signed an open letter demanding their employers to refuse the Pentagon's demands to use AI tech for mass surveillance and autonomous weaponry. Kalinowski, explaining her departure, said that her "issue is that the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined." "It's a governance concern first and foremost," she elaborated in a follow-up post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." Altman himself admitted that the deal was "rushed" and that its "optics don't look good." In a statement provided to media outlets, OpenAI emphasized its updated agreement with the Pentagon and its clear red lines: "no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company added. Kalinowski's departure and the broader uproar over OpenAI's military agreement comes as concerns over AI's use in warfare, and especially in decisions that could claim human lives, are more exigent than ever. Despite Anthropic's public resistance to the DoD, reports suggest that Claude was used to select targets for the US's deadly missile strikes in Iran. Though unconfirmed, it remains a chilling possibility that one of those identified targets was a girl's school in Minab, where at least 168 people, most of them children, were horrifically killed by an airstrike that was likely a US Tomahawk missile.

OpenAI robotics leader resigns over concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons amid Pentagon contract | Fortune

Caitlin Kalinowski, who had been leading hardware and robotic engineering teams at OpenAI since November 2024, announced she has left the company. "I resigned from OpenAI," she posted on X and LinkedIn. "I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. This was about principle, not people. I have deep respect for Sam and the team, and I'm proud of what we built together." Her departure comes amid an escalating dispute over how far AI companies should go in supporting U.S. military uses of the technology. In recent days, negotiations between the Pentagon and Anthropic collapsed after the company pushed for strict limits on domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. Soon after, OpenAI reached its own agreement with the Defense Department to deploy its models on a classified government network. The move drew criticism from some employees and observers who argued that OpenAI appeared to step in after Anthropic refused the terms. CEO Sam Altman later acknowledged the deal's rollout looked "opportunistic," and the company has since moved to clarify restrictions on how its systems can be used by the military. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the departure and provided a statement: "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons. We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world." Before OpenAI hired Kalinowski, she served as a hardware executive at Meta for nearly two and a half years leading the company's creation of Orion, previously codenamed Project Nazare, which it billed as "the most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made." Meta unveiled its prototype glasses in September. Before leading the Orion project, she worked for more than nine years on virtual reality headsets at Meta-owned Oculus, and before that, nearly six years at Apple helping to design MacBooks, including Pro and Air models.

OpenAI hardware leader resigns over concerns about 'surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization'

This is after the company signed a deal with the US Department of War. In the wake of OpenAI's debacle with the US Department of War, a lead of its robotics division has left the company, with a warning left on her X account for the AI company. In it, Caitlin Kalinowski says, "This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." For context on that resignation, two weeks ago, Anthropic and the US Department of War had a falling out as the former refused to remove safeguards on its AI tools for use in weaponry and mass surveillance. In response, OpenAI stepped up to the plate to take the deal. Sam Altman did later clarify "we shouldn't have rushed to get this out on Friday", and that the Department of War wouldn't use OpenAI's tool in US intelligence agencies like the NSA. At the time, Altman said: "There are many things the technology just isn't ready for, and many areas we don't yet understand the tradeoffs required for safety. We will work through these, slowly, with the DoW, with technical safeguards and other methods." It seems that, from Kalinowski's post, it's not just about the potential of these tools to be used in the surveillance of Americans, but the fact that it could have even been on the table without adequate consideration. OpenAI started those talks, then Altman had to walk some of them back. Kalinwoski says in a follow-up post that her problem was that the decision was rushed without defined guardrails. She says, "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." Despite this tension, Kalinowski does say, "This was about principle, not people. I have deep respect for Sam and the team, and I'm proud of what we built together." As noted on Kalinowski's LinkedIn, she "led overall planning, hiring, and operating cadence for a fast-scaling robotics organization, built the systems that turned ambiguous work into executable programs, and partnered across the exec team, engineering, finance, real estate, IT, and operations to support physical-world scale-up." As for what's next, Kalinwoski says that she is taking some personal time before moving on to something that is "building responsible physical AI". Still, one can hope that Kalinowski making her departure in such a public fashion with such strong words will push OpenAI to reflect on the deals it makes with the US government going forward. It's worth noting that OpenAI has relied on government support in recent years. Trump's AI action plan is intended to cement US dominance in the AI field, which will naturally benefit OpenAI. The company has also argued that it should be allowed to scrape copyrighted content or risk losing out to Chinese AI, and it winning is in the interest of a very pro-AI US government. Though Altman said he is not looking for a government bailout if things go badly, continuing to sign deals with the US government would certainly help with the cash flow.

OpenAI robotics chief quits over AI's potential use for war and surveillance

A top robotics executive at OpenAI said Saturday she had resigned over the company's deal with the US Department of Defense to allow its artificial intelligence to be used for war and potential domestic surveillance. OpenAI's top robotics executive said Saturday she had resigned over the artificial intelligence giant's deal with the US government to allow its technology's deployment for war and domestic surveillance. The company behind ChatGPT secured a defence contract with the Pentagon last month, hours after rival Anthropic refused to agree to unconditional military use of their technology. Read moreOpenAI secures Pentagon deal with safety safeguards as Trump drops Anthropic OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman later posted to X saying the startup would be modifying a contract so its models would not be used for "domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals," after criticism it was giving too much power to military officials without oversight. Caitlin Kalinowski said she cared deeply about "the Robotics team and the work we built together," but that "surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." "This was about principle, not people," she wrote in a post on X. Kalinowski wrote in a followup post that she took issue with the haste of OpenAI's Pentagon deal. "To be clear, my issue is that the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined," she wrote. "It's a governance concern first and foremost. These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." Anthropic's refusal to authorise use of its Claude AI models had prompted backlash from US officials. Kalinowski previously worked at Meta, developing their augmented reality glasses.

'This was about principle, not people' -- OpenAI's robotics hardware lead resigns

Subscribe to the Daily newsletter.Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day The petition continued, "We hope our leaders will put aside their differences and stand together to continue to refuse the Department of War's current demands for permission to use our models for domestic mass surveillance and autonomously killing people without human oversight." Regardless of the opposition, OpenAI is holding their ground on the deal, while saying that it included additional safeguards within it. A spokesperson from the company told Fast Company in an email, "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." The statement continued, "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world." The spokesperson added that the company doesn't plan to replace Kalinowski. Still, some experts predict that these kinds of resignations are likely to continue. AI governance leader Zahra Timsah, PhD, CEO of i-GENTIC AI, tells Fast Company, "People should not be surprised that some AI researchers are uncomfortable with military partnerships." Timsah says that's especially true given, "Many of them entered the field because they care deeply about safety and societal impact, so when AI moves into defense or surveillance contexts, it becomes a personal line" for many in the field.

OpenAI Robotics lead quits citing ethics concerns

OpenAI's Robotics lead resigned on Saturday over the company's rushed deal with the Pentagon in the US, seen as opportunistic amid the Anthropic row. The head of OpenAI's robotics team, Caitlin Kalinowski , resigned Saturday on 'principle', after OpenAI rushed to do a deal with the Pentagon when it became clear that Anthropic was out of favour - one that even OpenAI's Sam Altman admits appeared "opportunistic and sloppy". "I resigned from OpenAI," Kalinowski wrote in a post on LinkedIn on Saturday. "This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorisation are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. This was about principle, not people." Altman has been on a damage limitation journey since the deal was done, after many in Silicon Valley and beyond praised Anthropic's tougher stance on ethics grounds, and criticised OpenAI's rush to replace its AI rival. "The issues are super complex, and demand clear communication," Altman said in an internal post later shared on X last week (3 March). "We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy." Anthropic is planning to fight its designation by the US administration as a 'supply chain risk' in court, after it refused to remove the guardrails cited by Kalinowski in talks with the Pentagon. "We do not believe this action is legally sound, and we see no choice but to challenge it in court," co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei said in an official statement on March 5, in which he implied the move by the US administration was more about "punishing a supplier" than national security. Anthropic drew the ire of the US administration after a standoff with the Pentagon, where Anthropic refused to change its safeguards related to using its AI for fully autonomous weapons, or for mass surveillance of US citizens. Anthropic's Claude rose the top of the US Apple charts in recent days for free downloads - beating OpenAI's ChatGPT for the first time, Its flagship Claude.ai and Claude Code apps went down for around three hours on 2 March due to "unprecedented demand". Claude Cowork in particular was already becoming the darling of AI enthusiasts in the professional world and Bloomberg reported last week that Anthropic was on track to generate annual revenue of almost $20bn, more than double its run rate from late 2025, signalling the rapid growth at the AI company which is today valued at around $380bn. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

OpenAI robotics lead quits over Department of Defense deal

Caitlin Kalinowski resigned as OpenAI's robotics hardware lead, citing the company's partnership with the Department of Defense. OpenAI confirmed the resignation and stated there are no plans to replace her. Kalinowski's departure represents a high-profile internal objection to OpenAI's national security strategy. The company's agreement with the Pentagon aims to establish a responsible path for AI applications in defense, though it has drawn scrutiny over governance and ethical boundaries. Kalinowski previously worked at Meta and joined OpenAI in late 2024. She announced her resignation in a post on X, criticizing the company's haste in partnering with the DoD without establishing proper guardrails. She stated that the announcement was rushed and lacked defined safeguards. Kalinowski described the situation as a "governance concern first and foremost." Kalinowski wrote that "surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." She explained these concerns in response to another post on the platform. OpenAI issued a statement to Engadget addressing the resignation. The company said it understands people have "strong views" about these issues and will continue engaging in discussions with relevant parties. OpenAI stated it does not support the issues Kalinowski raised. The company's statement read, "We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he would amend the deal with the DoD to prohibit spying on Americans. The decision to sign the DoD agreement came after Anthropic refused to lift certain AI guardrails around mass surveillance and developing fully autonomous weapons.

OpenAI Responds to Its Robotics Lead Resigning Over 'Lethal Autonomy' Concerns in New Pentagon Deal

A senior OpenAI robotics engineer has resigned after the company agreed to make its artificial intelligence systems available inside U.S. Department of Defense computing networks, marking the latest sign of growing tension inside Silicon Valley as AI companies deepen their ties with the military. Caitlin Kalinowski, a member of OpenAI's technical staff who worked on robotics and hardware systems, said she stepped down on "principle" after the company revealed plans to deploy its AI models within secure Defense Department infrastructure. In a post on X explaining her decision, Kalinowski wrote, "I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn't an easy call." Her departure highlights a widening debate inside the AI industry as the U.S. government races to integrate cutting-edge AI tools into national security operations. The Department of Defense has been aggressively courting major AI developers as it looks to modernize military operations using commercial technology. Officials say advanced AI models could help the military analyze intelligence, process satellite imagery, manage logistics, and operate autonomous systems more efficiently, NPR reported. Defense leaders have argued that integrating private-sector AI systems into government infrastructure is becoming a strategic necessity. That effort has created a new and lucrative market for companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, but it has also triggered ethical debates within the companies building those systems. Not every AI developer is comfortable with the Pentagon's ambitions. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has publicly drawn strict boundaries around how the company's models can be used. He has said Anthropic will not allow its technology to be deployed for domestic mass surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons.

Top OpenAI executive departs post over Pentagon deal

A hardware leader at OpenAI has left the artificial intelligence firm in the wake of the company's recent partnership with the Pentagon, citing concerns over surveillance and autonomous weapons. Caitlin Kalinowski, who was a member of OpenAI's technical staff overseeing hardware, announced Friday that "principle, not people" led to the decision. "This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got," Kalinowski wrote on X Friday, adding she has "deep respect for Sam and the team" and is "proud of what we built together." OpenAI announced earlier this month it reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its AI products in the defense agency, just hours after talks for a similar deal between AI firm Anthropic and the Department of Defense (DOD) fell apart. Kalinowski later said she took issue over the deal being "rushed without the guardrails defined." "It's a governance concern first and foremost," she said in another post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." According to Kalinowski's public LinkedIn profile, she joined OpenAI as a technical team member in November 2024, leading the company's robotics organization. She previously helped build and scale Meta's alternate reality glasses and held roles at Oculus VR and Apple. Kalinowski's criticism follows a wave of broader backlash against OpenAI, which saw uninstalls of its flagship ChatGPT app rise by nearly 300 percent in the day after the deal was announced. At the same time, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman detailed new additions to the Pentagon agreements and acknowledged the company "shouldn't have rushed" to get the deal done. The new additions centered around the use of AI for mass surveillance, which was a red line for Anthropic during its negotiations. OpenAI's amended agreement now includes language that is "consistent with applicable laws," Altman said, including the declaration that the "AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals." "For the avoidance of doubt, the Department understands this limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information," Altman said, adding it is "critical to protect the civil liberties of Americans." The Pentagon also confirmed to OpenAI that its services will not be used by the department's intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency. As for Anthropic, the Pentagon informed the Claude developer late last week that the company and its products are deemed a supply chain risk "effective immediately." Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company will fight the designation in court. Amodei also argued the designation only applies to DOD customers, not Anthropic's other contracts. It is not clear how civilian government agencies will respond, though some already removed Claude from their workflows following President Trump's orders to cease use of Anthropic products. Other tech giants, including Microsoft, Google and Amazon, said last week that Anthropic's tools will remain available on their platforms for work that does not involve the Pentagon.

OpenAI senior robotics exec resigns over Pentagon deal

OpenAI's top robotics executive said Saturday she had resigned over the artificial intelligence giant's deal with the US government to allow its technology's deployment for war and domestic surveillance. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman later posted to X saying the startup would be modifying a contract so its models would not be used for "domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals," after criticism it was giving too much power to military officials without oversight. OpenAI's top robotics executive said Saturday she had resigned over the artificial intelligence giant's deal with the US government to allow its technology's deployment for war and domestic surveillance. The company behind ChatGPT secured a defense contract with the Pentagon last month, hours after rival Anthropic refused to agree to unconditional military use of their technology. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman later posted to X saying the startup would be modifying a contract so its models would not be used for "domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals," after criticism it was giving too much power to military officials without oversight. Caitlin Kalinowski said she cared deeply about "the Robotics team and the work we built together," but that "surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." "This was about principle, not people," she wrote in a post on X. Kalinowski wrote in a followup post that she took issue with the haste of OpenAI's Pentagon deal. "To be clear, my issue is that the announcement was rushed without the guardrails defined," she wrote. "It's a governance concern first and foremost. These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." Anthropic's refusal to authorize use of its Claude AI models had prompted backlash from US officials. Kalinowski previously worked at Meta, developing their augmented reality glasses.

OpenAI's Robotics Division Loses Key Leader Caitlin Kalinowski Over Disagreement on Military Deployment Terms

On Saturday, Caitlin Kalinowski said she resigned from OpenAI, arguing that potential uses of AI for warrantless monitoring of Americans and weapon systems operating without a human decision demanded more careful debate than they received. Her exit lands as OpenAI expands into classified Pentagon projects under an arrangement that kept two stated limits in place: no domestic mass surveillance and a requirement for human control over any use of force. In a post on X, Kalinowski said she still believes AI can matter for national security, but drew hard boundaries around domestic spying without court oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization. She also framed the resignation as a values call rather than a personal dispute, while saying she respects Sam Altman and remains proud of what her robotics group built. Caitlin Kalinowskis Bold Departure Sparks Debate Kalinowski's concerns echo the same two fault lines now shaping how top AI labs negotiate with the U.S. national security apparatus: surveillance at home and autonomy in the use of force. In her post, she said those issues were not weighed with the level of deliberation she expected. At the same time, Altman has described OpenAI's posture changing from avoiding classified engagements to taking them on with the Department of War, calling the shift urgent and more complex than earlier work. He also said OpenAI had previously passed on classified opportunities that rival lab Anthropic accepted. OpenAI's Pentagon arrangement, as described alongside Altman's comments, kept two guardrails intact while adding operational measures such as putting OpenAI engineers on-site to watch model behavior and safety. Altman also said the company would build technical constraints meant to keep systems operating within expected limits, and that the Department of War wanted those protections as well. AI Safety Negotiations Amid Pentagon Deal This unfolding situation highlights the contrasting approaches of the two companies, as Anthropic's refusal to adjust its terms led to a "supply chain risk" designation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while OpenAI successfully negotiated terms that align with existing U.S. law and policy. This juxtaposition raises questions about the ethical implications of AI in national security, particularly regarding surveillance and autonomous weaponry. The Pentagon Deal: A Critical Turning Point When Anthropic refused to change its position, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled the company a supply chain risk, and President Donald Trump directed agencies and military contractors to cut ties. Anthropic said on Friday it was "deeply saddened," called the designation "legally unsound," and warned it would "set a dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government." Altman also said OpenAI negotiated so comparable terms could be available to other AI developers, not only his firm. Even so, the split outcome remains stark: OpenAI says it got acceptance of the two guardrails, while Anthropic ended up blacklisted despite describing similar red lines. Altman said the Department of War viewed the principles as consistent with existing U.S. law and policy, and he cast OpenAI's quick move as an attempt to avoid what he viewed as a dangerous competitive trajectory among AI labs. Kalinowski's resignation, by contrast, spotlights how internal talent may react when the same boundaries are perceived as insufficiently examined. This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

OpenAI Robotics head resigns after deal with Pentagon

Caitlin Kalinowski, head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, has resigned, citing concerns over the company's agreement with the US Department of Defense. In a post on X, she said OpenAI did not take enough time before deciding to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon's classified cloud networks. Caitlin Kalinowski, head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, citing concerns about the company's agreement with the Department of Defense. In a social media post on X, Kalinowski wrote that OpenAI did not take enough time ⁠before ⁠agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon's classified cloud networks. "AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski posted. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Reuters could not immediately reach ⁠Kalinowski for comment, but she wrote on X that while she has "deep respect" for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ⁠and the team, the company announced the Pentagon deal "without the guardrails defined," she posted. "It's a governance concern first and foremost," Kalinowski wrote in a subsequent X post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." OpenAI said the day after the deal was struck that it includes additional safeguards to protect its use cases. The company on Saturday reiterated that its "red lines" preclude use of its technology in domestic ⁠surveillance or autonomous weapons. "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company said in a statement to Reuters. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after leading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms.

OpenAI Robotics Head Quits Over Pentagon Partnership | PYMNTS.com

The head of OpenAI's robotics team resigned Saturday, citing the company's deal to deploy its AI models within the Pentagon's classified network as the cause. "This wasn't an easy call. AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski wrote. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. This was about principle, not people." A report by Bloomberg News says that OpenAI confirmed Kalinowski's resignation and argues the company's Defense Department agreement "creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines, no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons." "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company added. OpenAI and the Pentagon formed their partnership late last month after a breakdown in negotiations between the White House and rival AI company Anthropic. Anthropic had wanted the Pentagon to agree that its technology wouldn't be used for mass surveillance of Americans or for fully autonomous weapons. President Donald Trump responded by ordering government departments to cease their work with Anthropic. The Pentagon also labeled the startup a supply-chain risk, meaning any companies wanting to do business with the U.S. government would be forbidden from also working with Anthropic. For its part, Anthropic has said it will challenge the supply-chain risk designation in court, while its CEO continues to negotiate with the Pentagon. As PYMNTS reported, the Pentagon's naming of Anthropic as a potential supply-chain risk spotlights the way that AI models "are increasingly treated as critical infrastructure within technology supply chains, creating new vendor-dependency and governance challenges for organizations deploying advanced AI systems." Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote last week about the competition between OpenAI and Anthropic for consumer and business customers, noting that professionals are weaving AI tools into their daily workflows, essentially "piloting enterprise use cases" from the ground up. "That dynamic gives OpenAI a distribution advantage, with ChatGPT's 910 million weekly active users far outpacing competitors," the report said. "But Anthropic's rapid growth in signups suggests that differentiation around coding agents, enterprise automation and ad-free positioning may resonate with certain segments."

OpenAI Executive Resigns Over Pentagon AI Deal and Oversight Concerns

Kalinowski Raises Concerns Over Surveillance and Lethal Autonomy said artificial intelligence can support national security, but she argued that some uses need stronger limits and more review before deployment. In her statement, she said surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization crossed lines that required more deliberation. She also said the Pentagon agreement was announced before clear guardrails were fully defined. She added that her decision came down to principle and governance. At the same time, she expressed respect for and the team at OpenAI. Her comments show that her objection focused on the process behind the agreement rather than the people involved. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after previously working at Meta on augmented reality hardware. Her departure puts new attention on how AI companies handle sensitive national security partnerships. It also highlights a broader debate inside the industry over how firms should define limits for military use, surveillance, and automated decision-making. In this case, the central question is not only what the technology can do, but also how quickly companies should approve its use in high-risk environments.

OpenAI hardware leader resigns after deal with Pentagon

(Corrects Kalinowski's job description in headline and first paragraph to hardware, not robotics.) March 7 (Reuters) - Caitlin Kalinowski, who oversaw hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, citing concerns about the company's agreement with the Department of Defense. In a social media post on X, Kalinowski wrote that OpenAI did not take enough time before agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon's classified cloud networks. "AI has an important role in national security," Kalinowski posted. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Reuters could not immediately reach Kalinowski for comment, but she wrote on X that while she has "deep respect" for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the team, the company announced the Pentagon deal "without the guardrails defined," she posted. "It's a governance concern first and foremost," Kalinowski wrote in a subsequent X post. "These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." OpenAI said the day after the deal was struck that it includes additional safeguards to protect its use cases. The company on Saturday reiterated that its "red lines" preclude use of its technology in domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons. "We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world," the company said in a statement to Reuters. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after leading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms. (Reporting by Karen Brettell; Editing by Sergio Non and Franklin Paul)

OpenAI robotics head resigns after Pentagon deal, says it's about principles, not people

The deal has also sparked backlash online, with some users protesting and switching to rival AI apps. OpenAI has been losing significant public support following its recent deal with the Pentagon. Initially, the company faced strong criticism from users over what many described as a rushed agreement, which also triggered the QuitGPT backlash online. Now, Caitlin Kalinowski, Head of Robotics and Consumer Hardware at OpenAI, has resigned. She shared her decision on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where she said that the decision was hard but necessary. Kalinowski explained that her decision was connected to OpenAI's recent deal with the United States Department of War (DoW). She said artificial intelligence can help with national security but warned that using AI for surveillance and weapons needs strict rules and careful oversight. Her resignation comes just days after OpenAI confirmed that its AI models could be deployed within classified United States Department of War systems. Kalinowski joined OpenAI in late 2024 after leading augmented-reality hardware projects at Meta. Earlier in her career she worked at Apple, contributing to several MacBook designs. Her exit raises fresh questions about the future direction of OpenAI's robotics efforts and the broader debate over how artificial intelligence should be used in military settings. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra specs tipped days after Galaxy S26 Ultra launch: What to expect In her post, Kalinowski said her decision to leave was based on principle rather than disagreements with individuals at the company. She added that she has deep respect for OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and the team she worked with and said she remains proud of the robotics work completed during her tenure. However, she argued that the Pentagon agreement appeared rushed and was announced without clearly defined safeguards. Kalinowski said issues such as potential surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and the risk of lethal autonomous systems warrant broader public debate before such partnerships are finalised. She later clarified that her concerns focused primarily on governance and the absence of clear guardrails at the time of the announcement. Also read: Amazon Electronics Premier League 2026: Apple iPhone Air available with over Rs 29,400 discount OpenAI confirmed her departure and defended the defence agreement, saying the arrangement provides a 'responsible pathway' for national security applications of AI while maintaining strict limitations. The company said its technology will not be used for domestic surveillance of US citizens or fully autonomous weapons. The deal follows earlier discussions between the Pentagon and rival AI firm Anthropic. Those talks reportedly broke down after Anthropic pushed for stronger restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. The War Department subsequently labelled Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation the company has said it intends to challenge in court. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has also questioned the legal basis of the move. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S23, S24 and S25 are available with heavy discounts during the Amazon Electronics Premier League 2026 The controversy has also affected public sentiment as some users uninstalled ChatGPT in protest while downloads of Anthropic's chatbot Claude surged, briefly pushing it to the top of Apple's US App Store rankings.