OpenAI has confirmed the dismissal of three safety researchers, Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni. The company stated that an internal investigation revealed a significant breach of trust regarding the handling of sensitive information.
The decision follows an open letter published by the researchers on Thursday, in which they claimed their termination was linked to raising concerns about AI safety. The group maintained that their actions aligned with the company's mission and established working norms.
In response, OpenAI clarified that the dismissals were based on violations of clear internal policies. The company noted that the investigation uncovered breaches that go beyond the issues mentioned in the researchers' open letter, though it provided no further details.
The incident occurs amid growing internal pressure within AI firms regarding the safety of frontier systems. Staff members are increasingly advocating for slower development cycles to better mitigate risks associated with self-improving technologies.
