OpenAI Pentagon deal amended — that’s the message from CEO Sam Altman, who said Monday that the company is revising its agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense to make its principles more explicit.

In a post on X, Altman said OpenAI has been working with what he referred to as the Department of War to add clarifications to the contract following last week’s announcement that the company would deploy its technology within the Defense Department’s classified network.

OpenAI Pentagon Deal Amended to Clarify Boundaries

According to Altman, one of the additions specifies that the Pentagon has affirmed OpenAI’s services will not be used by Department of War intelligence agencies, such as the National Security Agency.

Any future use by those agencies, he said, would require a follow-on modification to the contract.

The update appears aimed at reinforcing the OpenAI domestic surveillance ban NSA Pentagon contract limits, explicitly drawing a line around how and where OpenAI’s models may be deployed under the current agreement.

Last week, OpenAI announced the deal to integrate its technology into the Defense Department’s classified network, marking a significant expansion of its government footprint.

Altman Pentagon Deal Rushed Opportunistic Backlash Context

The decision to amend the contract follows heightened scrutiny surrounding the defense partnership. Although Altman did not reference specific criticism in his statement, the clarification comes amid broader discussion around government use of advanced AI systems.

The Altman Pentagon deal rushed opportunistic backlash narrative has circulated in public discourse, particularly after the original announcement triggered debate over military and intelligence applications of generative AI.

By stating that intelligence agencies are not covered under the current agreement without further modification, Altman appears to be addressing concerns over potential expansion of the contract beyond its initial scope.

For now, the OpenAI Pentagon deal amended language serves to clarify that any additional engagement with intelligence entities would require explicit contractual changes, rather than being implicitly included in the existing arrangement.