OpenAI defends firing of three AI safety researchers amid internal policy dispute

OpenAI reiterated its decision to fire three AI safety researchers—Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni—after an internal investigation concluded they committed 'a significant breach of trust.' The company stated the dismissals were due to violations of 'clear policies on handling sensitive information,' not for raising safety concerns. OpenAI made this position public in a post on X, framing the terminations as a matter of policy compliance rather than retaliation.

The dismissed researchers countered these claims in an open letter and subsequent social media statements, arguing they had 'acted in line with OpenAI’s mission and within the working norms of the time.' They asserted they were fired for advocating for AI safety, a claim OpenAI denied. The researchers urged the company to be more transparent about the reasons for their dismissal.

OpenAI did not provide details about the internal investigation beyond stating that the breaches were 'beyond what’s outlined in the letter.' The company’s response underscores a broader debate within AI organizations about how internal policy violations are adjudicated, especially when they intersect with public safety advocacy.

The incident occurs amid growing concern among employees at AI companies about the risks of rapidly advancing frontier systems. Earlier this year, OpenAI disclosed a hack of Hugging Face, which intensified calls from staff for stronger safeguards and slower development timelines. The current dispute adds to scrutiny of how AI firms balance internal dissent with corporate policy enforcement.