OpenAI unveils plans to protect US military personnel from lethal drone attacks

OpenAI is partnering with defense technology company Anduril Industries to develop and deploy advanced artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to protect the United States and its allies from the looming threat of lethal drones.

"By bringing together OpenAI's advanced models with Anduril's high-performance defense systems and Lattice software platform, the partnership aims to improve the nation's defense systems that protect U.S. and allied military personnel from attacks by unmanned drones and other aerial devices," OpenAI stated in a Wednesday press release.

Amid the rapid advancement of aerial threats, OpenAI says the new strategic partnership will focus on improving U.S. counter-unmanned aircraft systems (CUAS), including their ability to detect and respond to threats in real time.

The two companies plan to explore how advanced AI models can deconstruct time-sensitive data, improve human operations and bolster situational awareness.

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OpenAI plans to train the AI models on Anduril's CUAS threat and operations library — a decision the partners insist will "ensure mission success."

"The accelerating race between the United States and China in advancing AI makes this a pivotal moment. If the United States cedes ground, we risk losing the technological edge that has underpinned our national security for decades," OpenAI continued.

The AI research organization also suggested that today's decisions concerning national security will determine whether the U.S. remains a leader in the 21st century or risks being "outpaced by adversaries who don't share our commitment to freedom and democracy and would use AI to threaten other countries."

"Anduril builds defense solutions that meet urgent operational needs for the U.S. and allied militaries," Brian Schimpf, co-founder & CEO of Anduril Industries said in the press release. "Our partnership with OpenAI will allow us to utilize their world-class expertise in artificial intelligence to address urgent Air Defense capability gaps across the world. Together, we are committed to developing responsible solutions that enable military and intelligence operators to make faster, more accurate decisions in high-pressure situations."

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Anduril and OpenAI claimed their plans will be subject to "robust oversight" and "technically informed protocols that emphasize trust and accountability."

"OpenAI builds AI to benefit as many people as possible and supports U.S.-led efforts to ensure the technology upholds democratic values," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman added. "Our partnership with Anduril will help ensure OpenAI technology protects U.S. military personnel and will help the national security community understand and responsibly use this technology to keep our citizens safe and free."

Altman recently told "Fox News Sunday" that he is looking forward to working with the incoming administration, adding that he thinks President-elect Donald Trump will succeed at helping to make America a world-leading force in AI infrastructure.

But Altman also acknowledged the downsides of AI, warning that it is possible for bad actors to use the technology to hack into systems, and for U.S. adversaries to potentially create national security issues with powerful new models.

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The U.S. mainland has experienced several aerial incidents in the last two years.

For more than two weeks in December 2023, over a dozen unidentified drones were allowed to fly over Langley Air Force Base.

Two months prior to Langley, in October 2023, five drones flew over the Energy Department's Nevada National Security Site, used for nuclear weapons experiments. U.S. authorities were not sure who was behind those drones either.

A Chinese surveillance balloon traversed over the U.S. for a week last year before the Air Force shot it down off the coast.

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FOX Business' Morgan Phillips and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.