OpenAI Hardware Leader Caitlin Kalinowski Resigns Over Pentagon Deal

March 08, 2026
Caitlin Kalinowski has resigned from OpenAI, citing concerns about the company's agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the lack of safeguards around surveillance and autonomous weapons.

Caitlin Kalinowski, who led hardware and robotics engineering at OpenAI, has stepped down from her role following the company’s agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense, according to Fortune.

Kalinowski announced her resignation on social media, stating that the decision was driven by concerns about the company’s approach to national security work. She wrote that surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization were issues that warranted more deliberation. She described her departure as a matter of principle and expressed respect for CEO Sam Altman and the OpenAI team.

The resignation follows OpenAI’s recently announced deal allowing its AI models to operate on classified government networks. The company said the agreement includes safeguards to prevent its technology from being used for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons. OpenAI stated that it will continue discussions with employees, government, and civil society about responsible national security uses of AI.

Before joining OpenAI in 2024, Kalinowski worked at Meta, where she led hardware development for the company’s augmented reality glasses.

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