On Monday, the US Department of Defense awarded OpenAI a contract worth $200 million to implement artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for military use.
The San Francisco-based firm is tasked with “developing prototype frontier AI capabilities to tackle critical national security challenges in both combat and enterprise areas,” as outlined in the Department of Defense award agreement.
As stated by OpenAI, this program marks the company’s inaugural partnership under a startup initiative aimed at integrating AI within government functions. In a blog entry, the organization intends to demonstrate how advanced AI can significantly enhance various administrative tasks, such as healthcare for service members and cyber defense.
The startup assures that all military applications of AI are in accordance with usage guidelines established by OpenAI.
After the newsletter promotion
The major tech company is, predictably, promoting its tools to the US military alongside Palantir, an AI defense firm established by Peter Thiel, a conservative tech billionaire influential in Silicon Valley’s rightward shift.
OpenAI and defense tech startup Anduril Industries announced a collaboration late last year to create and implement AI solutions “for security missions.” This partnership merges OpenAI’s models with Anduril’s military technologies to bolster defenses against drones and other “unmanned aerial vehicle systems.”
“OpenAI develops AI with the aim of benefiting as many individuals as possible and endorses US-led initiatives to ensure technology upholds democratic values,” stated Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.
Source: www.theguardian.com