OpenAI says it will give its AI cyber defense system Daybreak and GPT-5.6 Sol to the Ukrainian government for free to help it protect civilian infrastructure

Ukraine gains access to advanced AI tools that can identify and help fix cyber vulnerabilities. This could improve the resilience of critical civilian infrastructure against escalating cyber warfare. The offering also signifies a new frontier in AI-driven defense support for nations under attack.

OpenAI will provide its AI-powered cybersecurity defense system, Daybreak, and its advanced language model, GPT-5.6 Sol, to the Ukrainian government free of charge. This initiative aims to bolster Ukraine's defenses against cyber-attacks targeting civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and power plants. Ukraine reported nearly 6,000 cyber-attacks in 2025 alone. Daybreak is designed to rapidly identify digital system vulnerabilities and assist in developing solutions. George Osborne, Head of OpenAI for Countries, emphasized the importance of protecting civilian infrastructure against both physical and digital threats to ensure continuity of essential services. This partnership highlights the growing role of AI in national security and defense contexts, particularly in ongoing conflicts.

This move by OpenAI signals a growing trend of major AI developers providing their most advanced models for defense applications, especially in active conflict zones. While beneficial for defense, the dual-use nature of these powerful AI capabilities, which can also be used for offense, presents significant ethical and security challenges. The competition among AI providers to offer solutions, as seen with Google and Anthropic also providing tools, indicates a strategic push to establish dominance in the defense AI market.

The decision to provide these tools freely to Ukraine, announced during the UN General Assembly, underscores the escalating global concern over AI-enabled cyber threats. It also brings into focus the debate around regulating AI, with leaders like UN Secretary General António Guterres calling for oversight. The broader implication is that nations will increasingly rely on AI for national security, while simultaneously facing the risk of adversaries leveraging similar or more advanced AI for attacks.