OpenAI launches a version of ChatGPT just for governments

(Image credit: Shutterstock/PatrickAssale)

OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Gov, built for the US government
The AI chatbot can help with summarization, translation, and more
ChatGPT Gov will be able to hand "non-public, sensitive information"

OpenAI has released a new version of ChatGPT, built bespoke for the US government.

ChatGPT ‘Gov’ can be fed "non-public, sensitive information” on secure self-hosted cloud computing platforms, allowing agencies to comply with cybersecurity requirements.

Government workers will be able to create and share custom GPT models for specialised tasks, with the Gov version also deploying an admin console for CIOs and IT teams.

Chat with the Gov

OpenAI claims over 90,000 users from upwards of 3,500 federal, state, and local government agencies have sent over 18 million messages on Chat GPT since 2024 as part of their day-to-day work across AI tools training, basic coding, translation services, and much more.

Visually, the service is similar to ChatGPT enterprise, with the main difference being that ChatGPT Gov can be hosted on internal Microsoft Azure commercial cloud, or Azure Government community cloud infrastructure.

As always, there are legitimate concerns around the security of using AI within government, particularly when entering sensitive information, to which OpenAI refers users to its Usage Policy, which ChatGPT Gov is also subject to.

Demonstrations made to the press by OpenAI solutions engineer Aaron Wilkowitz showed ChatGPT Gov create a five-week plan for a Trump administration employee, which was then analysed by the GPT after the addition of numerous notes. Wilkowitz also demonstrated its translation abilities by having it draft a memo of job plan and then translating it into multiple languages.

ChatGPT Enterprise is currently being subject to Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) testing before it can be used on the types of sensitive data it could be fed if adopted. OpenAI CPO Kevin Weil said (via CNBC) that while there wasn’t a timeline in place for ChatGPT Enterprise’s FedRAMP approval, OpenAI is working with the new administration to cut through some of the red tape.

“I know President Trump is also looking at how we can potentially streamline that, because it’s one way of getting more modern software tooling into the government and helping the government run more efficiently. So we’re very excited about that,” Weil said.

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman reportedly donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration fund, alongside OpenAI’s partner company Microsoft, which provides many of the systems, software, and cloud services that the government needs to function.

These are the best AI writers around right now
Take a look at our guide to the best cloud storage
“This is a wake-up call" - the DeepSeek disruption: 10 experts weigh in

TOPICS

Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.