Dan Driscoll stepped down as Army secretary in early September, after roughly 18 months in the civilian leadership role, amid wider turnover across Pentagon and Army posts. During his tenure, he had pushed for faster adoption of battlefield technology and broader partnerships with startups rather than reliance on traditional defense primes.¹

Now OpenAI has recruited the Army veteran and former acting ATF director into a newly created senior advisory role focused on “national security modernization.” The company says he will counsel executives and outside partners on how advanced AI can strengthen national and cyber security, help internal teams understand the operational needs of security institutions, and encourage U.S. allies to adopt the technology responsibly.²

The appointment lands as OpenAI broadens its government and military footprint. Its OpenAI for Government unit has consolidated federal work, while a Department of War agreement—capped at $200 million—has explored uses from administration and acquisition analysis to cyber defense. The company has also moved toward making systems available through Pentagon platforms and classified settings, even as it says its agreements bar mass domestic surveillance, autonomous weapons acting independently, and certain high-stakes decisions without human oversight.¹

For OpenAI chief Sam Altman, the strategic argument is also ideological: “AI should give people more power over their lives and people should have a say in how it’s developed.” He says Washington has an opportunity to work with partners to spread “democratic AI” and reinforce American leadership.²

Driscoll frames the mission more practically. “The people who serve deserve the very best tools we can put in their hands,” he said, arguing that AI can cut paperwork, process more information and deliver answers faster. His promise is not technology for its own sake, but responsible deployment for the people charged with keeping allies safe.³