Defense Business Brief: Updates on Ukraine aid, F-16 backlog, and Chaos at OpenAI

The White House is hosting a conference in December for American and Ukrainian defense companies, as a sign of U.S. support. The aim is to increase weapons production to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and security. The two-day conference begins on Dec. 6 and will have representation from the Defense Department, State Department, Commerce Department and National Security Council, along with their Ukraine counterparts. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also plans to host a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting with representatives from about 50 nations to enhance international collaboration. The latest $100 million aid package to Ukraine includes a range of weapons and ammunition. The White House has also asked for a $106 billion controversial supplemental funding request that would provide even more support for Ukraine. Congress has pushed the Air Force on the F-16 backlog and asked for delivery delays to be addressed. The company behind ChatGPT has gone through turmoil, losing its CEO and having hundreds of employees threaten to quit. A new report finds increasingly tense China-U.S. ties, with China seeking to shape international norms, including in AI, cyber, intelligence, and space. Elana Broitman, the former New York City director of the think tank New America, is now a senior advisor for the Roosevelt Group.