The potential NATO collaboration was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper noted that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman initially suggested in an internal meeting that the company aimed to deploy AI on all NATO classified networks. A company spokeswoman later clarified that Altman had misspoken and that discussions were limited to NATO’s unclassified systems.
NATO, the 32-member military alliance, did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.
The announcement follows OpenAI’s recent agreement to integrate its AI systems into the Pentagon’s classified networks. The deal came after U.S. President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to halt cooperation with Anthropic, a rival AI firm, over contract disagreements.
Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, had opposed Pentagon use of its AI models for domestic mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon has maintained it seeks only lawful AI applications, denying interest in AI-powered mass surveillance of Americans or fully autonomous weapons systems.
In a statement following the Pentagon deal, OpenAI said its AI “shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals,” and confirmed that intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency (NSA) would not utilize the technology.
Altman described the Pentagon engagement as “a complex, but right decision with extremely difficult brand consequences and very negative PR in the short term,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
The NATO discussions highlight OpenAI’s expanding interest in international defense applications while navigating the complex ethical and public-relations landscape surrounding military use of AI.