Sam Altman Faces Lawmakers’ Questions Over OpenAI Defense Work

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with a group of U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C., where he faced detailed questions about the company’s collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense. The discussion focused on how OpenAI’s artificial intelligence models may be used in national security and military contexts.

During the meeting, several members of Congress pressed Altman on the scope of OpenAI’s defense-related work and the safeguards surrounding the deployment of its technology. Lawmakers raised concerns about potential applications involving surveillance and autonomous weapons, asking for clarity on the limits placed on the company’s AI systems.

Altman emphasized that OpenAI’s defense partnerships operate within U.S. law and the company’s internal safety policies. According to the company, safeguards are designed to restrict high‑risk uses of AI, including preventing systems from directly enabling autonomous weapons or certain forms of domestic surveillance.

The meeting comes as cooperation between major technology companies and defense agencies is receiving greater scrutiny in Washington. OpenAI’s agreement allowing its AI models to be deployed on classified networks for defense-related tasks has intensified policy debates over the role of advanced AI in national security and military operations.