Whistleblowers recently called upon the U.S. financial regulatory agency to scrutinize OpenAI's historical non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). These documents reportedly included clauses that mandated employees seek permission before interacting with federal authorities, potentially penalizing them for disclosing concerns about the company.
OpenAI, based in San Francisco and recognized as a significant AI entity behind products like ChatGPT, has been at the center of debates on AI's potential risks. The whistleblowers urged immediate investigation into OpenAI's previous NDAs and current compliance with SEC rules by Commissioner Gary Gensler.
On July 1st, a letter detailing this request was shared with Senator Chuck Grassley via the Washington Post after being obtained from his office. The whistleblowers, anonymous in their complaint to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), allege systemic violations at OpenAI affecting workers' federal rights related to whistleblowing.
Accusations include employees signing contracts that waived claims for whistleblower rewards. The letter argues that such NDAs, alongside employment agreements and severance clauses, contravene SEC rules by stipulating communication with regulators be disclosed to the company.
The concerned parties contend it is crucial for employees in AI fields to understand they have a right to raise issues to federal bodies. They urged the SEC to investigate OpenAI's past NDAs, enforce transparency on all issued agreements, reassure former and current staff of their whistleblowing rights, impose fines for unlawful NDAs, and amend practices that may inhibit free discourse about AI advancements.
An OpenAI spokesperson responded by stating the company's commitment to protecting employees' disclosure rights under their whistleblower policy and emphasizing the importance of open discussions regarding AI technology. The SEC was contacted for further comment on this matter.
Read next
Projected Energy Consumption for AI Data Centers Quadruples by 2seemingly in a decade (2030), predicts study
By the end of this decade, the global pursuit for AI technology will demand nearly as much power as Japan does today. However, it's anticipated that only about half of these needs may be satisfied by renewable sources alone.
In the United States specifically, data processing - predominantly
Musk redirects Tesla case resolutions toward conservative Texas legal system under latest contract revisions
X's updated terms of service now direct any legal confrontations initiated by its users to be resolved exclusively within the US district court for Texas' northern region or state courts located in Tarrant county, Texas.
Such venue clauses are standard practice among companies outlining which judicial platform
Investigation Launched by Oversight Agency Regarding Hateful Immigration Content Shared on Social Media Platforms
The Oversight Board is probing Meta's choice to leave two Facebook posts accessible following their recognition that numerous user complaints exist regarding content purportedly hostile towards migrant communities.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of the board and former Danish prime minister, highlighted how vital it is for them to find