OpenAI Hardware Leader Caitlin Kalinowski Resigns Over Pentagon Deal

Mar 8, 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.

We hope you enjoyed this article

Consider subscribing to one of our newsletters like Defense AI Brief, AI Policy Brief or Daily AI Brief.

Also, consider following us on social media:

Defense AI Brief AI Safety & Regulation AI Brief AI Brief (X)
Free newsletter

Defense AI Brief

Your weekly intelligence briefing on the technology shaping modern warfare and national security.

Guide
Private humanoid makers by latest disclosed equity round

Private humanoid makers by latest disclosed equity round

Thirteen independent humanoid robot makers, ordered by the size of their latest disclosed round

Industry analysis

2025 Global Business Services Agenda: Gen AI Takes Center Stage

The Hackett Group

This industry analysis by The Hackett Group explores the transformative impact of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) on global business services (GBS) in 2025. The study highlights the shift from exploration to acceleration of Gen AI initiatives, with 89% of executives advancing these projects to improve customer satisfaction, innovate products, and reduce costs. The report also discusses the challenges and strategies for successful Gen AI adoption, emphasizing the need for a technology-enabled operating model and the importance of reskilling the workforce.

Read more

You may also like

Free, six days a week

Daily AI Brief: the AI news that matters, in your inbox.