Washington: OpenAI has been considering a potential contract with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to deploy artificial intelligence technology on the alliance’s unclassified networks, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
The development has emerged days after OpenAI reached an agreement with the United States Department of Defense to place its technology within the Pentagon’s classified network. Reports have indicated that discussions are centred on using AI systems across NATO’s digital infrastructure that handles non-classified information.
During an internal meeting, Chief Executive Sam Altman initially suggested that deployment could involve all NATO classified networks. A company spokeswoman later clarified that Altman had misspoken and that the opportunity relates specifically to NATO’s unclassified networks.
NATO, a military alliance consisting of 32 member states, has not responded to requests for comment outside regular working hours. The potential agreement has been viewed as part of a broader trend in which governments and defence institutions explore the integration of artificial intelligence tools for operational support and information analysis.
The discussions have followed OpenAI’s recent defence agreement with the Pentagon. That deal was announced shortly after the United States government moved to stop working with rival artificial intelligence company Anthropic. The Pentagon indicated that Anthropic could be designated as a supply-chain risk following disagreements about safeguards governing the use of AI technology.
Anthropic leadership had raised concerns about the use of artificial intelligence for mass domestic surveillance or for autonomous weapons systems operating without human control. The Pentagon has maintained that it has no interest in using AI to conduct surveillance of American citizens or to create fully autonomous weapons but wants lawful AI applications to remain possible.
After finalising the Pentagon arrangement, OpenAI stated that its systems must not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of United States citizens. The company added that the agreement includes safeguards preventing use of its technology by intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency.
Altman acknowledged the complexity of the decision during a company meeting, stating that the partnership involved difficult trade-offs despite potential reputational risks. The possible NATO contract would represent another step in expanding the role of artificial intelligence in defence and security infrastructure.
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