OpenAI partners with defense firm Anduril for drone defense systems

OpenAI has formed a partnership with defense technology company Anduril to develop AI systems for countering unmanned aircraft threats in national security missions. According to reporting by Hayden Field for CNBC, the collaboration will focus on improving real-time detection and response to aerial threats while reducing the burden on human operators. The partnership marks a significant shift in OpenAI’s policy, as the company had previously banned military applications of its technology until January 2024. The new agreement specifically aims to protect U.S. military personnel from drone attacks, with OpenAI maintaining that this aligns with their mission statement prohibiting AI use for causing harm. This development follows similar partnerships between AI companies and defense contractors, including Anthropic’s recent collaboration with Palantir and Amazon Web Services for intelligence and defense applications.