Whistleblowers from OpenAI have raised concerns in a letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The letter has urged the regulator to scrutinise the company’s practices regarding employee contracts, as reported by AP.
These anonymous whistleblowers, specifically called a senator to investigate whether OpenAI’s use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) unlawfully restricts employees from discussing AI technology risks. The letter, dated 1 July, emphasised the need for swift and aggressive enforcement of rules against NDAs that could deter employees from raising concerns with regulatory authorities.
This development follows a recent formal whistleblower complaint filed with the SEC, initially reported by The Washington Post. The whistleblowers’ concerns were shared with AP through the office of the US Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who highlighted the letter as originating from legally-protected sources.
In response, the Senator expressed his view that OpenAI’s current policies may discourage whistleblowers from exercising their rights to report issues and receive appropriate compensation for protected disclosures. He emphasised the necessity for OpenAI to revise its NDAs to align with federal regulations, underscoring the importance of transparency in navigating advancements in artificial intelligence.
OpenAI has issued a statement asserting its commitment to upholding employees’ rights to disclose information in accordance with the law. The company indicated that it has already taken steps to amend contracts by removing provisions that could penalize former employees for expressing criticism after leaving the company.
In a separate development reported by Reuters, OpenAI recently established a Safety and Security Committee led by board members, including Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI. This initiative is part of the company’s efforts to enhance governance and oversight as it prepares to deploy its next generation of AI models.
The SEP has not yet disclosed anything.
