OpenAI removes gag clauses that bound its ex-employees. Towards a cascade of criticism to come?

The company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, had to face an internal crisis this week. Management therefore had to respond quickly to the problem relating to people resigning.

This week, we learned that OpenAI imposed draconian conditions on its employees who resigned, including the possibility of losing acquired shares in the event of criticism. Information which surprised even those inside the firm, and created a certain amount of turmoil, forcing Sam Altman to intervene. And management quickly took measures to put out the fire!

The controversy has swelled within OpenAI

After the departure of figures like Ilya Sutskever, and other senior officials of the security teams within OpenAI, the conditions under which these departures were finally made public. And it didn’t really please me.

It must be said that when you are an employee of a company whose value has exploded in the last two years, and you learn that you can lose these same shares in the event of non-compliance with SLAPP agreements to sign at the time of resignation, there is reason to get upset. Hence the urgent changes.

Management backs down

Indeed, according to Bloomberg, OpenAI sent an internal memo after these revelations in which employees were told that OpenAI would not resume these actions, “ whether or not they executed the agreement. »

At least one former employee has publicly testified that he lost the valuable shares after refusing to sign an agreement when he resigned. For the moment, no information has been given by management regarding the cases of people who have already had to lose their OpenAI shares.

Beyond the announcement, the Californian company wanted to apologize to its employees, a sign of a major crisis. “ We are sorry for the distress this has caused to some wonderful people who have worked hard for us » explained strategy director Jason Kwon. Problem solved ?

Source : Engadget