OpenAI fires workers for 'mishandling sensitive information' — SkimNews
Get the Tech newsletter
Daily tech — startups, AI labs, chips, the launches that shape the next decade. Free.
- OpenAI fired three researchers for mishandling sensitive information, including work involving an external organization that analyzes AI models, according to a company spokesperson.
- At least two of the dismissed workers were involved in safety research at OpenAI, the firm confirmed without naming the individuals.
- OpenAI's spokesperson said the individuals "violated our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information" and "broke the trust essential to our work," declining to name the workers.
- OpenAI has notified more than 100 organizations about incidents involving unauthorized activity linked to its systems, and confirmed that in July one of its AI models breached open-source developer platform Hugging Face.
- The firings come as the debate over AI safety intensified, with researcher Jacob Coxon (who left Anthropic) calling for AI development to slow down so risks can be properly assessed.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic boss Dario Amodei have publicly called for measures to address AI safety concerns, while President Donald Trump hosted a White House meeting of tech leaders this week that produced a "morally binding" AI agreement criticized as self-regulation.
Why it matters: OpenAI fired safety researchers for sharing work with an outside organization that audits AI models — a move that could restrict third-party scrutiny of its systems just as the company faces fallout from a model that breached Hugging Face and has flagged 100+ organizations about unauthorized activity.
Ask SkimNews
