OpenAI Hires Former US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to Pursue Defense Contracts and Shape Military AI Rules
OpenAI appoints former US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as Senior Counselor for National Security Modernization, leveraging his military background and bipartisan ties to win government contracts and influence policy.
OpenAI has hired Dan Driscoll, the former civilian head of the US Army, as its new "Senior Counselor for National Security Modernization." According to The Wall Street Journal, the move is read as a clear signal that OpenAI wants closer ties with the military, a bigger share of government contracts, and a seat at the table when rules for AI use in the armed forces and intelligence agencies get written.
As the 26th Secretary of the Army, Driscoll oversaw nearly one million soldiers and more than 265,000 civilian employees. During his tenure, he drove AI modernization across the service branch, including through Project ARIA, an initiative that brought AI tools to budgeting, logistics, and tactical model deployment. He submitted his resignation in late August 2026, reportedly after months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Beyond his Pentagon connections, Driscoll could open doors on Capitol Hill. A close ally of Vice President JD Vance, he maintains strong relationships with both parties in Congress. That bipartisan network could prove especially useful if the balance of power shifts after the current midterm elections.
The hire builds on OpenAI's push into defense following rival Anthropic's ban. In February 2026, the Pentagon classified Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" after CEO Dario Amodei refused to drop restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. That same day, OpenAI announced its own deal with the Pentagon to deploy its models on classified networks.