OpenAI parts ways with three safety researchers, WSJ reports

OpenAI has parted ways with three members of its safety team after an internal investigation found they mishandled sensitive company information, The Wall Street Journal reported. The report said they allegedly shared confidential information with a third-party AI safety organization.

An OpenAI spokesperson told the Journal that the three people violated company policies on accessing and handling sensitive information. The spokesperson said the investigation found the information was mishandled outside established procedures. The report did not identify the researchers, the organization or the information involved. OpenAI did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.

Posts on X named people some users believe were dismissed, but TechCrunch said it had not confirmed their identities. The report also did not establish whether the researchers raised concerns through internal channels before the alleged sharing.

The departures came two days after The New York Times reported that OpenAI executives had brushed aside employee warnings about safety practices. The Times report described employees’ accounts of security being deprioritized. An OpenAI spokesperson told the Times that the company takes security concerns seriously and has internal reporting channels, while acknowledging “a need to move faster.”

In 2024, OpenAI fired researchers Leopold Aschenbrenner and Pavel Izmailov over alleged leaks, according to The Information.