• Widespread backlash against OpenAI after Pentagon deal

A wave of protests has erupted online against OpenAI following its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, sparking fears over military use of artificial intelligence.

The deal, announced on February 28, 2026, allows the Pentagon to use OpenAI’s technologies for any “legal purpose,” a broad term critics say could include autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the existence of “technical safeguards” but did not disclose details.

Meanwhile, rival company Anthropic rejected the Pentagon’s request for unrestricted access to its systems on March 1, stressing the need to exclude autonomous weapons and mass surveillance—a stance the Pentagon did not accept.

From March 2–4, the hashtag #QuitGPT trended widely as users canceled subscriptions and staged protests outside OpenAI headquarters in San Francisco, drawing major media coverage. Reports indicate around 2.5 million users either canceled or pledged to cancel their accounts, including 1.5 million paying subscribers in the first week, resulting in an estimated $30 million monthly revenue loss.

Amid the backlash, OpenAI launched GPT-5.4, its most advanced model yet, a move some saw as delayed and out of step with user concerns. Critics argue the Pentagon agreement is “extremely vague,” potentially enabling AI in autonomous weapons and surveillance without independent oversight, conflicting with OpenAI’s stated mission to benefit humanity.

Debates continue over balancing national security and ethical AI, closely monitored by both the tech community and everyday users.