Whistleblowers at OpenAI have lodged a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alleging that the company unlawfully restricted employees from alerting regulators about potential risks associated with its technology. The complaint claims that restrictive employment, severance, and nondisclosure agreements were imposed on staff, potentially leading to penalties for those who raised concerns with federal authorities. The agreements violated federal laws protecting whistleblowers, prompting calls for an SEC investigation.

OpenAI's whistleblower policy and nondisparagement terms have since been changed, according to a company spokesperson. The whistleblowers' letter follows concerns that OpenAI prioritized profit over safety by rushing the release of its latest AI model, ChatGPT. Tech companies' strict confidentiality agreements have long been criticized for limiting employees' ability to report misconduct.