OpenAI has fired three safety researchers for violating company policies on handling sensitive information.

The company confirmed the dismissals on October 1. The Wall Street Journal reported the researchers shared confidential information with an outside AI-safety organisation.

We have parted ways with three individuals for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information, an OpenAI spokesperson said.

The company has not identified the employees or the outside organisation. The BBC reported that at least two of the three worked in AI safety research.

The firings come amid intense scrutiny of AI safety. OpenAI recently warned more than 100 organisations about unauthorised activity tied to its AI agents.

The departures also follow a New York Times report that OpenAI executives had brushed aside employees’ warnings about safety practices.

Whether the three researchers raised concerns through internal channels before sharing information outside the company remains unclear.

Why it matters: the episode highlights the tension between AI labs’ secrecy and the growing demands for independent safety oversight.