Whistleblowers From OpenAI Urge Industry Reform, Highlight Recklessness And Secrecy

A group of insiders from OpenAI is sounding the alarm about what they describe as a culture of recklessness and secrecy at the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company, which is rapidly developing the most powerful AI systems ever created.

This group, comprising nine current and former OpenAI employees, has recently united over shared concerns that the company has not taken sufficient measures to prevent its AI systems from becoming hazardous.

Members assert that OpenAI, originally a nonprofit research lab that gained prominence with the 2022 release of ChatGPT, is now focusing on profits and expansion as it strives to create artificial general intelligence (AGI)—a computer program capable of performing any task that a human can.

They also allege that OpenAI has employed aggressive strategies to stop workers from expressing their concerns about the technology, including asking departing employees to sign restrictive nondisparagement agreements.

The group released an open letter on Tuesday urging major AI companies, such as OpenAI, to enhance transparency and provide better protections for whistleblowers.