Caitlin Kalinowski, the head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, citing concerns about the company’s recent agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense. In a series of posts on X, Kalinowski said OpenAI moved too quickly in consenting to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks and that key governance questions were not adequately addressed.
"AI has an important role in national security," she wrote. "But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got." Kalinowski also said she has "deep respect" for OpenAI's chief executive and the team, but criticized the timing and terms of the announcement, saying the pact was declared "without the guardrails defined."
Kalinsowski added in a follow-up post on X that the issue is primarily one of governance, writing: "It’s a governance concern first and foremost. These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed." The posts underscore internal disagreement about how far and how fast the company should move when collaborating with defense agencies.
Attempts to reach Kalinowski for comment were not immediately successful. OpenAI issued statements defending the deal's safeguards and reiterating that its established "red lines" exclude using its technology for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapon systems. The company also said it would continue discussions with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world to address public concerns and to clarify acceptable use cases.
OpenAI said, shortly after the deal was first announced, that additional safeguards were included to govern how its technology would be used on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks. On Saturday the company reiterated those protections and emphasized ongoing engagement with stakeholders about the ethical and governance implications.
Kalinsowski joined OpenAI in 2024 after serving as lead for augmented reality hardware development at Meta Platforms. Her departure follows a public airing of internal reservations over the speed and scope of the company's agreement with a major government defense customer.
Clear summary
Caitlin Kalinowski resigned from her role as head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, saying the company rushed into an agreement to deploy AI models on the Department of Defense’s classified cloud networks without sufficient governance safeguards. She warned against domestic surveillance without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization. OpenAI has maintained that the deal includes safeguards and that its red lines forbid domestic surveillance and autonomous weaponization.