There is news that OpenAI has revised its contract with the DoD (U.S. Department of Defense). In short, it explicitly bans the use of AI for domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens. CEO Sam Altman announced this, and I think it's a pretty significant decision.

The reason such a measure is necessary is because of U.S. laws like the Fourth Amendment and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As AI technology becomes more powerful, concerns grow that it could be misused for tracking and monitoring citizens. Therefore, even in contracts with the DoD, they decided to clearly draw that line.

What’s interesting is that this revision also targets defense intelligence agencies, including the NSA. In other words, even agencies related to national defense cannot use OpenAI’s services for domestic surveillance. This shows a consistent stance of protecting citizens’ freedoms.

Altman emphasizes the importance of operating through democratic processes. Balancing AI development and security is a difficult theme, but he acknowledges this and seems to aim for a balance between transparency and citizen protection.

Another point worth noting is that he hopes similar conditions will apply to other AI companies like Anthropic. In other words, this could become a standard across the industry. If all AI companies become cautious about citizen surveillance, I think that’s good news for the public.