# Three fired OpenAI safety researchers dispute the reasons for their dismissal

> Original title: Three fired OpenAI safety researchers say they were never told what they actually leaked

- Source: The Decoder
- Published: 2026-10-24T15:19:33.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/ldkxoz9gnlsbuttesm5r00v51
- Original: https://the-decoder.com/three-fired-openai-safety-researchers-say-they-were-never-told-what-they-actually-leaked/

## Summary

Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni, and Jasmine Wang deny sharing confidential information and say they were never told in writing which information they mishandled. OpenAI says the firings had nothing to do with the safety concerns they raised, and the researchers worry the case could discourage independent safety auditors from working with AI companies.

## Why it matters

The report sets out the three researchers' denials alongside OpenAI's position, which helps readers weigh the dispute over monitoring AI reasoning steps.