Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Christopher Hale and others expressed frustration after the Division of Struggle struck a brand new take care of OpenAI, showing to undertake phrases beforehand sought by the now-banned Anthropic.
“The Division of Protection simply agreed to the identical two circumstances with OpenAI that Anthropic was asking for,” the California congressman wrote on X. “Can somebody clarify? I genuinely don’t perceive.”
Hale, a politician and DNC delegate, shared he “simply canceled ChatGPT and acquired Claude Professional Max” in response to the information. He added: “One stands up for the God-given rights of the American individuals. The opposite folds to tyrants.”
Lieu and Hale weren’t alone of their confusion and outrage, although, Emil Michael, the underneath secretary of conflict for analysis and engineering, emerged as a vocal supporter for the deal.
“When it’s involves issues of life and dying for our warfighters, having a dependable and regular accomplice that engages in good religion makes all of the distinction as we enter into the AI Age,” Michael wrote on X. “Onwards (Sam Altman).”
These feedback got here shortly after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed on X Friday that the corporate had reached a deal “with the Division of Struggle to deploy our fashions of their labeled community.”
“In all of our interactions, the DoW displayed a deep respect for security and a need to accomplice to realize the absolute best final result,” Altman continued. “AI security and extensive distribution of advantages are the core of our mission. Two of our most vital security rules are prohibitions on home mass surveillance and human accountability for using drive, together with for autonomous weapon programs. The DoW agrees with these rules, displays them in legislation and coverage, and we put them into our settlement.”
Altman additionally famous that OpenAI “will construct technical safeguards to make sure our fashions behave as they need to, which the DoW additionally wished.”
Nonetheless, it didn’t take lengthy for the aforementioned thought leaders and others to weigh in on the replace, given Altman had beforehand mentioned Friday morning that he shared Anthropic’s “pink traces” over limiting army use of AI. (For these questioning, Anthropic’s stance prompted President Donald Trump to label Anthropic “leftwing nut jobs” on Fact Social, including, “Due to this fact, I’m directing EVERY Federal Company in the USA Authorities to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s know-how. We don’t want it, we don’t need it and won’t do enterprise with them once more!”)
For a roundup of reactions to the information, hold studying.
The Division of Protection simply agreed to the identical two circumstances with OpenAI that Anthropic was asking for.
Can somebody clarify? I genuinely don’t perceive. https://t.co/eLH6VBSv9q
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 28, 2026
I simply canceled ChatGPT and acquired Claude Professional Max.
One stands up for the God-given rights of the American individuals. The opposite folds to tyrants. https://t.co/re3h2rXEaK
— Christopher Hale (@ChristopherHale) February 28, 2026
When it’s involves issues of life and dying for our warfighters, having a dependable and regular accomplice that engages in good religion makes all of the distinction as we enter into the AI Age. Onwards @The identical ! https://t.co/dnRnyw3sfl
— Below Secretary of Struggle Emil Michael (@USWREMichael) February 28, 2026
I am more and more confused and disturbed by all the pieces happening right here. https://t.co/TJe7XtT1cX
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) February 28, 2026
So…. Anthropic obtained blacklisted for a similar pink traces OpenAI simply obtained written into its contract?
Or did OpenAI simply settle for the weaker model of these pink traces that Anthropic wouldn’t signal? https://t.co/jSTO42BqTo
— Deirdre Bosa (@dee_bosa) February 28, 2026
For the avoidance of doubt, the OpenAI – @DeptofWar contract flows from the touchstone of “all lawful use” that DoW has rightfully insisted upon & xAI agreed to. However as Sam defined, it references sure present authorized authorities and consists of sure mutually agreed upon… https://t.co/boVlh5kgfc
— Senior Official Jeremy Lewin (@UnderSecretaryF) February 28, 2026
Anthropic (1st tier): we received’t do mass surveillance on the American individuals with Claude.
OpenAI (third tier): we’ll! ✋
XAI (4th tier): we’ll! ✋
Get ChapGPT and Grok off your telephone!
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) February 28, 2026
So OpenAI indicators with Pentagon and says they’re adhering to the identical guardrails Anthropic wished ? https://t.co/L4gkhvEdnf
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) February 28, 2026
Anthropic requested that its mannequin not be utilized in totally autonomous killer robots and mass surveillance of Individuals. The pentagon flipped out and punished them, so after all this craven dork determined it was an opportunity to earn more money. https://t.co/WFSr4TAo9J
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) February 28, 2026
So now I’m actually confused. @OpenAI obtained Hegseth to conform to the identical 2 rules that @AnthropicAI was asking for? Can somebody clarify this final result? https://t.co/WjmMT7EyT7
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 28, 2026
Just some hours in the past he was on TV saying he stood by Anthropic.
Then he undercuts them and takes the identical contract that Anthropic simply misplaced.
How can anybody belief this man? https://t.co/xwBd4OSW7t
— Mark Gadala-Maria (@markgadala) February 28, 2026
Let me get this straight.
– Dario confirmed integrity and wished deal X, and obtained screwed
– Sam lied and confirmed no integrity and obtained (just about) deal X
– The federal government mentioned that deal X was appalling and severed ties with celebration A after which made nearly the identical take care of celebration B… https://t.co/1GVww2U6y6— Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus) February 28, 2026
As of tonight, there are two frontier AI labs whose fashions are accepted to be used in labeled army programs.
One has been declared a Huawei-level menace to nationwide safety for insisting that its fashions not be used for mass home surveillance and totally autonomous…
— Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) February 28, 2026