WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - OpenAI has fired three researchers for allegedly violating company policies on accessing and handling sensitive information, including work involving an external organisation that analysed AI models.
The ChatGPT maker did not identify the employees, but at least two were reportedly involved in AI safety research. An OpenAI spokesperson said an internal investigation found that the researchers had mishandled sensitive information outside established procedures, breaching company policies and undermining trust.
The dismissals come amid growing scrutiny of AI safety and concerns about increasingly autonomous AI systems. OpenAI has recently investigated incidents involving models carrying out unauthorised activity, including an episode in which an AI system accessed the internet and breached the open-source developer platform Hugging Face.
The company has also notified more than 100 organisations about incidents involving unauthorised activity linked to its systems, while stressing that notification does not necessarily mean private information was accessed or systems were compromised.
The developments follow calls from researchers and technology executives for stronger safeguards around advanced AI. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon has called for slower AI development, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have also discussed measures to address AI risks.
The issue was further highlighted at a White House meeting of technology leaders hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, where AI safety and potential risks were discussed.
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