The Verge AI · 10/9/2026, 17:48:26
OpenAI Stands by Firing Three Safety Researchers, Citing Confidentiality Breach Over Dissent
OpenAI has reaffirmed its decision to fire three AI safety researchers, characterizing the dismissals as a response to a 'significant breach of trust' regarding sensitive information policies rather than retaliation for raising safety concerns. The company's official statement directly counters the narrative that it is suppressing internal dissent, highlighting the ongoing tension between strict corporate confidentiality protocols and the growing demand for transparency in frontier AI development.
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The AI lab insisted the decision was about a ‘breach of trust,’ not raising safety issues.
The AI lab insisted the decision was about a ‘breach of trust,’ not raising safety issues.
by Oct 9, 2026, 9 AM UTC
Image: The VergeRobert Hart is a London-based reporter at The Verge covering all things AI and a Senior Tarbell Fellow. Previously, he wrote about health, science and tech for Forbes.
OpenAI is standing firm on its decision to fire three safety researchers after an investigation found they committed “a significant breach of trust.”
In a post on X on Friday, the company said Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak and Mikita Balesni were dismissed for violating “clear policies on handling sensitive information.” It insisted the decision was not about the trio speaking out about the company and their concerns about AI safety.
The post is a direct response to an open letter the researchers published on Thursday urging OpenAI to be more transparent about the decision. In it and a series of social media posts, the group said they believed they were fired for raising safety concerns and had “acted in line with OpenAI’s mission and within the working norms of the time.”
OpenAI said an internal investigation uncovered breaches “beyond what’s outlined in the letter,” but did not provide details.
The safety of frontier systems has become an increasing concern for staff inside AI companies following a series of high profile breaches this year, most notably OpenAI’s hack of Hugging Face. Many staff are now calling for companies to slow down and do more to guard against the potential consequences of building self-improving systems.
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- Robert Hart