Fired OpenAI safety researchers deny misconduct and warn of a chilling effect

Key points

• Tomek Korbak, Jasmine Wang, and Mikita Balesni said in an open letter they acted within their job mandates.
• Wang said her access to an executive's email was delegated for recruiting and she reported accidentally opening one message.
• They warned the firings could give OpenAI cover to skip bringing in outside auditors, and urged it to protect its open culture.
• OpenAI agreed with the recommendations but told TechCrunch the firings reflected a "pattern of misconduct," not raised concerns.

Why it matters for marketers: Content teams citing OpenAI's safety commitments should note the company's conduct is publicly disputed, so verify claims about its safety practices before repeating them.