Three former researchers at OpenAI have publicly contested the company’s decision to terminate their employment, asserting that their departures were driven by efforts to prioritize artificial intelligence safety rather than violations of internal policy.
In an open letter shared on the social media platform X, Mikita Balesni, Tomek Korbak, and Jasmine Wang argued that they were dismissed because they placed safety above the corporation’s immediate commercial interests. The trio, who formerly worked in safety and alignment roles, expressed concern that their firing would create a climate of fear among remaining staff, discouraging them from raising ethical issues or operating transparently.
Korbak highlighted specific worries regarding the monitoring of AI agents. “For months, I’d been raising safety concerns that we’re losing the ability to monitor what AI agents think, one of our best tools for catching when they misbehave,” he stated. “I believe that was why I was fired.”
OpenAI has firmly denied that the dismissals were related to safety advocacy. On October 2, a spokesperson told the BBC that an internal investigation confirmed the individuals had mishandled sensitive information outside of established company procedures. The company reiterated this position in a statement from its research leaders on Friday morning.
“We want to be very clear that these decisions were not about raising safety concerns or speaking out,” the note read. “Our internal investigation uncovered a significant breach of trust beyond what’s outlined in the letter they published and we stand by the decision to not continue their employment.”
The incident occurs against a backdrop of intensifying global debate regarding the potential risks that advanced AI systems pose to society. Alignment, the field practiced by the former employees, involves embedding human ethical principles into technology to ensure it remains consistent with human values.
Wang warned that the situation reflected a broader pattern of questionable personnel actions within the firm. “We were not the first to be pushed out of OpenAI under suspicious circumstances,” she posted on X. She added, “Unless the employees take a stand now against this kind of manoeuvre, I am concerned we will not be the last.”
Meanwhile, OpenAI announced it is currently finalizing agreements with third-party safety assessors and plans to release further details in the coming weeks.
This has to be a PR stunt by OpenAI. There is no way all three mishandled sensitive data in exactly the same way. Something else is going on here.
OpenAI’s ‘breach of trust’ defense rings hollow when three independent researchers corroborate the safety narrative. The timing is deeply suspicious.