OpenAI whistleblowers have petitioned the SEC to investigate the artificial intelligence company’s stringent non-disclosure agreements.
“Given the well-documented potential risks posed by the irresponsible deployment of AI, we urge the Commissioners to approve an investigation into OpenAI’s prior NDAs immediately and to review current efforts apparently being undertaken by the company to ensure full compliance with SEC rules
According to the letter, the AI company forced employees to sign agreements waiving their federal whistleblower compensation rights.
The whistleblowers asked the SEC to penalize OpenAI for each unlawful agreement.
In an email, an SEC representative stated it did not comment on whistleblower submissions.
OpenAI should have commented on the letter.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly and dramatically changing technology,” stated Sen. Grassley, whose office received the whistleblower letter. He said, “OpenAI’s policies and practices appear to chill whistleblowers’ right to speak up and receive compensation for protected disclosures.”
The whistleblowers claimed that OpenAI imposed too restrictive employment, severance, and non-disclosure agreements to its employees, which might have penalized anyone who reported OpenAI to federal authorities.
The letter states that OpenAI required workers to obtain prior consent from the company before releasing information to federal regulators and did not exempt securities violations to the SEC in employee non-disparagement provisions.
The letter also requested that OpenAI produce all non-disclosure contracts, including employment, severance, and investor agreements, for inspection by the SEC.
As AI models get more sophisticated, OpenAI’s chatbots with generative AI capabilities, including human-like interactions and text-based image creation, have raised safety concerns.
As it trains its next AI model, OpenAI organized a Safety and Security Committee overseen by board members, including CEO Sam Altman, in May.
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