OpenAI has hired former U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as senior counselor for national security and modernization to expand its cyber and defense operations. Driscoll resigned in August 2026 after disputes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. His hiring follows OpenAI's 2024 policy shift toward military work and a February 2026 deal deploying AI within the Defense Department's classified network.
Dan Driscoll's appointment at OpenAI
- ▪OpenAI hired former U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as senior counselor for national security and modernization
- ▪At OpenAI, Dan Driscoll will advise public and private sector partners on using artificial intelligence for national security, cybersecurity, and practical modernization initiatives
Dan Driscoll's background and Army tenure
- ▪Dan Driscoll is a close friend of U.S. Vice President JD Vance from their time attending Yale Law School
- ▪Dan Driscoll resigned as U.S. Army Secretary in August 2026 following repeated conflicts with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth over personnel and leadership decisions
OpenAI's national security initiatives and stance
- ▪OpenAI updated its corporate policy in 2024 to permit military applications of its technology after previously prohibiting them
- ▪OpenAI announced on November 2, 2026 that it will work with government, academic, and industry leaders to advance modernization initiatives for democratic AI
- ▪OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman stated on November 2, 2026 that the United States has an extraordinary opportunity to collaborate with other nations to spread democratic AI adoption
OpenAI's partnership with the Defense Department
- ▪OpenAI secured its February Defense Department classified network deployment agreement after Anthropic PBC's relationship with the Pentagon imploded over surveillance and autonomous weapons concerns
- ▪In February 2026, OpenAI agreed to deploy its artificial intelligence models within the U.S. Defense Department's classified network
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