OpenAI whistleblowers have filed a complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), urging an investigation into the company’s allegedly restrictive non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), according to a letter seen by Reuters. The letter, provided by the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley, calls for the SEC to review OpenAI’s NDAs and ensure they comply with SEC rules.
Allegations of Restrictive Agreements
The whistleblowers claim that OpenAI required employees to sign agreements that waived their federal rights to whistleblower compensation. They requested the SEC fine OpenAI for each improper agreement. An SEC spokesperson declined to comment on the existence of a possible whistleblower submission, and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly and dramatically altering the landscape of technology as we know it,” said Sen. Grassley. He added that OpenAI’s policies appear to have a chilling effect on whistleblowers’ rights to speak up and receive due compensation for protected disclosures.
Initial Report and Further Allegations
The Washington Post first reported the news. The whistleblowers alleged that OpenAI issued overly restrictive employment, severance, and non-disclosure agreements, potentially penalizing workers who raised concerns about the company to federal authorities. The letter also mentioned that OpenAI required employees to get prior consent before disclosing information to federal regulators, and did not exempt securities violations disclosures to the SEC from non-disparagement clauses. The letter asked the SEC to require OpenAI to produce every contract containing a non-disclosure agreement, including employment, severance, and investor agreements, for inspection.
SEC Safety Concerns and Company Response
OpenAI’s generative AI chatbots, capable of human-like conversations and creating images based on text prompts, have raised safety concerns as AI models become more powerful. In response, OpenAI formed a Safety and Security Committee in May, led by board members including CEO Sam Altman, as it began training its next AI model.
See Also: OpenAI Developing Project ‘Strawberry’ To Enhance AI Reasoning
