OpenAI has announced a no‑cost partnership with Ukraine, delivering its Daybreak cyber‑defence system to protect civilian infrastructure from escalating cyber attacks.
According to Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT‑UA), the nation recorded nearly 6,000 cyber‑attacks in 2025, driving the urgency for advanced protection.
Daybreak, powered by OpenAI’s forthcoming GPT‑5.6 Sol model, can identify vulnerabilities in digital systems and suggest rapid fixes, offering a strategic advantage for defenders.
George Osborne, former UK chancellor and Head of OpenAI for Countries, said, Protecting civilian infrastructure means defending it against both physical and digital attacks so people can continue to live, work and access essential services.
Rafe Pilling, senior director of threat intelligence at Sophos, noted that Russian cyber ops have been “a key component” of the Kremlin’s aggression since 2014. He welcomed the initiative as a valuable force multiplier for Ukraine’s already capable, but overburdened, cyber‑defence efforts.
Jamie MacColl of the Royal United Services Institute stated that western tech firms have supported Ukraine for both altruistic reasons and to gain valuable war‑time intelligence. He added that access to Daybreak would be especially useful given the volume of Russian cyber attacks.
Experts point out that while advanced frontier AI models can bolster defense, their dual‑use nature means they can also be exploited for attack. Recent reports highlight allegations of AI tools being used to design kamikaze drones and infiltrate government services in the conflict.
