OpenAI Collaborates with US Military on AI Projects, Expands Focus to Election Security
Artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer OpenAI has made the decision to collaborate with the US military on various AI endeavors, following the lifting of a prohibition on providing its technologies for military and warfare applications. OpenAI’s vice president of global affairs, Anna Makanju, revealed during the World Economic Forum in Davos that the company is currently engaged in the development of open-source cybersecurity software alongside discussions on preventing military veteran suicides with the US government. While the specifics of these projects were not disclosed, Makanju emphasized that OpenAI’s policy update is aimed at accommodating new applications of its AI tools, including ChatGPT.
Prior to relinquishing the ban, the company’s military-related use cases were deemed restricted. However, Makanju clarified that OpenAI remains committed to prohibiting the use of its technology for weapons development, property destruction, or causing harm to individuals. Microsoft, which owns a significant portion of OpenAI and freely uses its advanced AI technologies, has notably been contracting with the US military and other government agencies without any inherent prohibition on weaponization.
Alongside its military-focused collaborations, OpenAI is expanding its operations into the realm of election security. CEO Sam Altman, also speaking at Davos, underscored the significance of elections, stating that it is positive to witness concerns surrounding the process. Altman revealed that OpenAI is actively working on preventing the misuse of its generative AI tools to disseminate political disinformation, such as deepfakes and artificially-generated media that could potentially influence or target candidates during the upcoming 2024 voting cycle.
It is worth mentioning that OpenAI and Microsoft were recently sued by the New York Times for copyright infringement, with the newspaper accusing both parties of unfair competition and perceiving their generative AI capabilities as a threat to press freedom. The lawsuit seeks substantial monetary damages for alleged unlawful copying and unauthorized use of the NYT’s intellectual property. In fact, last November, the law firm Susman Godfrey proposed a class action lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the companies of rampant theft of authors’ works to train their flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, without obtaining proper permissions.
By venturing into collaborations with the US military and intensifying its efforts in election security, OpenAI aims to broaden the applications of its AI technologies while ensuring responsible and ethical usage. As the landscape of AI continues to evolve, OpenAI is actively adapting its policies and projects to align with the advancements and potential concerns associated with AI deployments.
