"OpenAI robotics leader resigns over concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons amid Pentagon contract" 7 March 2026

Caitlin Kalinowski, who had been leading hardware and robotics operations teams at OpenAI since November 2024, announced she has left the company.

“I resigned from OpenAI,” she posted on X and LinkedIn. “I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn’t an easy call. AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. This was about principle, not people. I have deep respect for Sam and the team, and I’m proud of what we built together.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”..

...An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the departure and provided a statement: “We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons. We recognize that people have strong views about these issues and we will continue to engage in discussion with employees, government, civil society and communities around the world.”..