Three fired OpenAI safety researchers dispute misconduct claims and warn of chilling effect
Overview
Three OpenAI safety researchers, Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni, were fired last week, and in an open letter to company leadership they deny OpenAI's claim that they mishandled sensitive information outside established procedures. OpenAI says they violated company policies by accessing and handling sensitive company information, and a spokesperson says an investigation found a "pattern of misconduct" that goes beyond sharing information with an outside AI evaluation group. OpenAI denies the firings were retaliation for safety concerns. The researchers argue that OpenAI cannot make AI safe on its own, call for open debate, third-party collaboration, and clear internal procedures, and warn that their dismissal will deter employees from raising safety concerns. They also ask OpenAI to keep its public commitments on third-party safety auditing. Wang says she believes they were fired for prioritizing safety over the company's near-term interests; this is her claim, not an established finding.
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- TechCrunch · AIFired OpenAI safety researchers dispute misconduct claims and warn of chilling effect
Three OpenAI safety researchers, Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni, were fired after OpenAI said they mishandled sensitive information by sharing it with an outside AI safety organization. In an open letter, they deny the claims, argue the dismissals will deter employees from raising safety concerns, and call on OpenAI to keep its public commitments on third-party safety auditing. OpenAI says the firings followed an investigation into a pattern of misconduct and denies they were retaliation for safety concerns.
- Andrew CurranThree fired OpenAI safety researchers publish open letter to leadership
Three OpenAI safety and alignment employees, Tomek Korbak, Jasmine Wang, and Mikita Balesni, were fired last week and have published an open letter to OpenAI's safety and governance committees. The letter argues that OpenAI cannot make AI safe on its own, calls for open debate, third-party collaboration, and clear internal procedures, and says the firing and its handling bear directly on safety oversight.
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