OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Sets 2027‑28 AGI Goal, Secures Pentagon Deal, While ChatGPT Takes

OpenAI announced that it will aim to deliver artificial general intelligence by fiscal 2027‑28, a target Sam Altman set out in a post on X that outlined a “hard‑deadline” for the company’s core research teams, according to the OpenTools report. The timeline follows a series of milestone releases, including GPT‑4.5 and a suite of multimodal tools slated for 2025, which Altman said will “lay the groundwork for true AGI.” He added that the firm will double its compute budget and expand its safety‑research staff to meet the deadline, signaling a shift from the previous “mid‑decade” guidance.

In parallel, OpenAI sealed a multi‑year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply its generative‑AI models for classified and unclassified missions, the OpenTools briefing noted. The deal, described as “historic” by the same source, positions OpenAI as the Pentagon’s primary vendor after a White House‑mandated ban on Anthropic’s technology. The agreement includes joint‑development of secure deployment pipelines and a $200 million upfront payment, though the exact terms remain confidential.

Altman also highlighted ChatGPT’s expanding footprint in everyday life, citing a surge in daily active users and new integrations across education, healthcare, and government portals. The Guardian recounted a tragic case in Clatskanie, Oregon, where a user named Joe Ceccanti spent up to 12 hours a day conversing with the bot while attempting to design low‑cost housing. Ceccanti’s reliance on ChatGPT grew into a personal confidante before his death, underscoring both the platform’s utility and the emerging mental‑health concerns tied to prolonged AI interaction.

The Pentagon partnership, meanwhile, raises questions about the militarization of generative AI. The Verge reported that Altman’s X thread promised “robust safeguards” and “transparent oversight” for any defense‑related deployment, while The Next Web noted that the agreement came shortly after former President Trump ordered a ban on Anthropic’s models for military use. Analysts cited in VentureBeat warned that the move could set a precedent for other AI firms seeking government contracts, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape.

Overall, OpenAI’s dual strategy—pushing a hard AGI deadline while embedding ChatGPT deeper into civilian and defense ecosystems—marks a decisive pivot toward scale and influence. The company’s next 12 months will test whether its expanded compute budget, safety hires, and Pentagon funding can sustain the aggressive timeline without compromising the ethical frameworks that have guided its public rollout to date.