On June 9, 2023, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, participated in a fireside chat organized by Softbank Ventures Asia in Seoul, South Korea. In a significant development, OpenAI and Anduril Industries announced a strategic partnership on Wednesday, aimed at integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems into "national security operations." This alliance is indicative of a growing and contentious trend where AI companies are not only reversing their previous restrictions on military applications of their technologies but are also forming collaborations with major defense contractors and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Last month, Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon and founded by former OpenAI researchers, along with defense contractor Palantir, announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services. This collaboration aims to "grant U.S. intelligence and defense agencies access to Anthropic's Claude 3 and 3.5 series of models on AWS." In the fall, Palantir secured a new five-year contract, potentially worth up to $100 million, to broaden the U.S. military's access to its Maven AI warfare program.

The OpenAI-Anduril partnership, as revealed on Wednesday, is designed to "enhance the nation's counter-unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) and their capacity to detect, evaluate, and counteract potentially deadly aerial threats in real-time," according to an official statement. The release further explained that "Anduril and OpenAI will investigate how state-of-the-art AI models can be utilized to swiftly process time-sensitive data, alleviate the workload on human operators, and enhance situational awareness." Anduril, co-founded by Palmer Luckey, who also founded Oculus VR before selling it to Facebook in 2014, did not respond to inquiries about whether reducing the reliance on human operators might lead to fewer humans involved in critical warfare decisions.

OpenAI stated that it is collaborating with Anduril to assist human operators in making decisions that "protect U.S. military personnel on the ground from unmanned aerial vehicle attacks." The company affirmed its commitment to the policy outlined in its mission statement, which prohibits the use of its AI systems to cause harm to others.

This development follows OpenAI's quiet removal of a ban on military use of ChatGPT and other AI tools in January, coinciding with its initiation of work with the U.S. Department of Defense on AI tools, including open-source cybersecurity tools. Until early January, OpenAI's policy page explicitly stated that the company prohibited the use of its models for "activities that pose a high risk of physical harm," such as weapons development or military and warfare applications. In mid-January, OpenAI removed the specific mention of the military, although its policy still cautions users against "using our service to harm yourself or others," including the "development or use of weapons."

These events have unfolded amidst years of debate surrounding tech companies' development of military technology, with tech workers, particularly those involved in AI, expressing public concerns. Employees at nearly every tech giant engaged in military contracts have raised objections. For instance, thousands of Google employees protested against Project Maven, a Pentagon initiative that would employ Google AI to analyze drone surveillance footage. Microsoft employees also protested a $480 million army contract that would equip soldiers with augmented-reality headsets. Furthermore, over 1,500 Amazon and Google workers signed a letter in protest against a joint $1.2 billion, multiyear contract with the Israeli government and military, under which the tech giants would provide cloud computing services, AI tools, and data centers.

The collaboration between OpenAI and Anduril is a significant step in the ongoing integration of AI into military operations. It raises questions about the ethical implications of AI in warfare and the potential consequences of reducing human involvement in decision-making processes that could lead to the loss of life. As AI technology advances, the debate over its use in the military sector is likely to intensify, with concerns about accountability, transparency, and the potential for misuse becoming increasingly pressing.

The involvement of AI in national security operations is not without precedent, but the partnership between OpenAI and Anduril represents a new chapter in the application of AI technology in defense. The focus on improving CUAS is a clear indication of the growing concern over aerial threats and the need for advanced technologies to counter them. The ability to detect, assess, and respond to threats in real-time is crucial for the safety of military personnel and the effectiveness of defense operations.

However, the potential reduction in the human element of these operations raises ethical questions. The decision to engage in combat or respond to threats is a weighty one, and the removal of human operators from the loop could lead to a devaluation of the importance of human judgment in such critical situations. The reliance on AI systems to make these decisions could also increase the risk of errors, as AI is not infallible and can be subject to biases and limitations in its programming and data.

The policy changes at OpenAI and the partnerships formed with defense contractors highlight the complex relationship between the tech industry and the military. While these collaborations can lead to technological advancements that enhance national security, they also bring to the forefront the moral and ethical dilemmas associated with the use of AI in warfare. The tech industry must navigate these challenges carefully, ensuring that the development and deployment of AI technologies are aligned with ethical standards and do not compromise human values.

The controversy surrounding the development of military technology by tech companies is not new, but it has gained momentum in recent years. The protests by employees at Google, Microsoft, and Amazon demonstrate a growing awareness and concern among tech workers about the implications of their work. These employees are not just concerned about the potential misuse of their technologies but also about the ethical responsibilities of tech companies in the context of military applications.

The debate over the use of AI in the military is multifaceted, involving considerations of national security, technological advancement, and ethical responsibility. As AI technology continues to evolve and play a more significant role in defense operations, it is essential for the tech industry, policymakers, and society as a whole to engage in a thoughtful and ongoing dialogue about the implications of these developments. This dialogue must address not only the technical capabilities of AI but also the ethical and moral considerations that arise from its use in the military context.