Head of OpenAI Robotics steps down following agreement with the Pentagon
Caitlin Kalinowski, who led the robotics and consumer hardware division at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, expressing concerns regarding the company’s agreement with the Department of Defense.
Kalinowski expressed on X that OpenAI rushed into deploying its AI models on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks without sufficient consideration. “AI has an important role in national security,” Kalinowski stated. “However, monitoring Americans without judicial oversight and granting lethal autonomy without human authorization are issues that warranted greater consideration than they received.”
Reuters was unable to contact Kalinowski for a comment right away; however, she expressed on X that although she holds “deep respect” for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the team, the company revealed the Pentagon deal “without the guardrails defined,” as she stated.
“Primarily, it’s a matter of governance,” Kalinowski stated in a later X post. “Hurried deals or announcements are not appropriate given the significance of these matters.”
OpenAI announced the day following the agreement that it incorporates extra safeguards to ensure the protection of its use cases. On Saturday, the company reiterated that its “red lines” forbid using its technology for autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance.
“The company stated to Reuters, ‘We acknowledge that individuals hold strong opinions on these matters, and we will persist in our discussions with employees, government, civil society, and communities globally.'”
Kalinowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after spearheading augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms.
