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TechCrunchJun 24
OpenAI Whistleblowers Allege NDAs Prevent Airing of Safety Concerns
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The Facts
A letter from OpenAI whistleblowers to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleges that the ChatGPT-maker's use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) restricts them from sharing safety concerns with federal regulators.
The letter, which was provided to news organizations by the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), claims that OpenAI had hires waive their rights to federal whistleblower compensation and that they required company consent to speak to regulators, with no exceptions for SEC violations.
The Spin
Narrative A
The concerns raised by this letter are disturbing, to say the least. There are other reports trickling out of OpenAI that claim that the company hastily rushed through safety screening to meet a release date in May, as safety takes a backseat to financial interest. OpenAI cannot be trusted to fulfill its mandate of altruistic AI development and must be held to account.
Narrative B
No one has a better understanding of AI safety than the undisputed industry leader, and OpenAI has always made safety paramount. The company has a new safety committee working on a report on their upcoming model and already has strong whistleblower protections. There's no evidence that OpenAI is engaged in any nefarious activity or suppression of dissent.