TechFlow reports, on October 15, according to Forbes, OpenAI is seeking to establish closer ties with the U.S. Department of Defense. OpenAI has partnered with government contractor Carahsoft, a billionaire-owned firm that helps technology companies provide software to the Pentagon.
Earlier this year, OpenAI quietly removed from its usage policies the clause prohibiting the use of its products for "military and warfare" purposes. Subsequently, the company was added to a defense procurement tool known as the Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software, and Solutions (CHESS) program. CHESS is a U.S. government mechanism designed to quickly and efficiently purchase services from private companies with minimal administrative burden.
While OpenAI has not yet signed any contracts with the Department of Defense through this channel, Carahsoft has already helped secure other government contracts for the company. Over the past year, Carahsoft sold $108,000 worth of ChatGPT licenses to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and over $70,000 worth of unspecified OpenAI licenses to the National Gallery of Art.
