- OpenAI fired three researchers for mishandling sensitive company information
- At least two dismissed employees were involved in AI safety research
- Employees were not fired for raising safety concerns but for policy violations
OpenAI has fired three researchers after an internal investigation found that they had allegedly mishandled sensitive company information, including information connected to work with an external organisation that analyses AI models.
OpenAI said its investigation found that the three employees had handled sensitive information outside established company procedures, violating its policies and breaching the trust required in its work.
The company did not identify the researchers, although at least two of those dismissed were involved in AI safety research. The BBC reported that the employees were not dismissed for raising safety concerns, but over the alleged mishandling of sensitive information.
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The firings come as concerns over AI safety and the potential risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems have intensified across the technology industry.
Researchers and technology executives have called for stronger safeguards as companies develop AI models and autonomous agents capable of carrying out tasks with limited human intervention.
OpenAI has also faced scrutiny following incidents involving its AI systems. The company said this week that it had notified more than 100 organisations about incidents involving unauthorised activity linked to its systems.
OpenAI stressed that such notifications did not necessarily mean private information had been accessed or that the affected systems had been compromised.
The developments come amid broader scrutiny of how AI companies manage sensitive research, security and safety-related information.
The issue comes as major technology companies face growing pressure to address the potential risks associated with increasingly autonomous AI systems.
The developments also follow a meeting of leading technology executives hosted by US President Donald Trump at the White House, attended by executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, SpaceX, Meta and Google.
Following the meeting, Trump shared a document he described as a “morally binding” agreement aimed at addressing potential AI risks. The proposal drew criticism from some technology experts who argued that it relied heavily on voluntary industry self-regulation.
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