OpenAI's firing of three safety researchers sparks controversy

OpenAI has fired three safety researchers—Tomek Korbak, Jasmine Wang, and Mikita Balesni—who were involved in the investigation of the Hugging Face hacking incident. The three sent an open letter to OpenAI's Safety and Security Committee and other bodies, stating that the dismissal process was sudden and public, leaving current employees feeling fearful.

OpenAI responded on X, saying that the dismissal of three safety researchers—Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni—was because they violated clear policies on handling sensitive information, constituting a major breach of trust, and stressed that it was unrelated to their speaking out on AI safety.

OpenAI fired three safety researchers last week: Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni, and Jasmine Wang. In an open letter to management, the three said they were dismissed for putting safety ahead of the company's short-term interests.

Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni, three safety researchers fired by OpenAI last week, published an open letter denying the company's allegations that they mishandled sensitive information and warning that the firings could create a chilling effect inside the company.

The Wall Street Journal reports that OpenAI separated from three researchers accused of leaking confidential information to external AI safety organizations: Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni. Korbak was on the safety team, while Wang and Balesni worked on alignment.

The Wall Street Journal reports that OpenAI separated from three members of its safety team over allegations that they violated company policy by sharing sensitive company information with a third-party AI safety organization. An OpenAI spokesperson said an internal investigation confirmed they handled sensitive information outside established company processes, violated policy, and undermined trust. The report did not identify the researchers, the organization, or the information involved. The news came two days after The New York Times reported that OpenAI executives had ignored employees' warnings about its safety practices.