A senior executive at OpenAI has resigned over concerns about the company’s partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, highlighting growing tensions within the technology sector over the military use of artificial intelligence. Caitlin Kalinowski, the head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, announced her departure on Saturday, saying the company moved too quickly in agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks.
In a message posted on social media, Kalinowski said artificial intelligence could play an important role in national security but warned that the risks surrounding surveillance and autonomous weapons required deeper scrutiny before any agreement was finalized. She said the decision to proceed with the Pentagon deal was made without enough deliberation on critical ethical boundaries.
Kalinowski expressed concern that the use of advanced AI could enable surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and allow lethal autonomous systems to operate without human authorization. She argued that such possibilities required extensive discussion and clear governance structures before implementation.
Despite her criticism of the deal, Kalinowski said she maintained deep respect for OpenAI’s leadership and team, including CEO Sam Altman. However, she said the company publicly announced the defense partnership before establishing the necessary guardrails to govern how the technology would be used.
In subsequent comments online, she described the situation as primarily a governance issue, saying decisions involving powerful technologies like artificial intelligence should not be rushed into public agreements or major deployments. According to Kalinowski, the scale and potential consequences of AI demand careful oversight and transparent policy frameworks.
OpenAI responded by emphasizing that safeguards had been included in the agreement. The company said the partnership contained additional protections designed to ensure responsible use of its technology. It also reiterated that its internal policies prohibit the use of its systems for domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.
In a statement, the company acknowledged that opinions about the military use of artificial intelligence remain deeply divided and said it would continue discussions with employees, government institutions, civil society organizations, and communities worldwide to address concerns.
Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after previously leading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms. Her departure marks a significant moment for the company as debates intensify across the tech industry about how artificial intelligence should be governed when used in defense and national security operations.
