OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently expressed his embarrassment regarding the company’s previous exit paperwork, stating that he should have never allowed certain provisions to be included. Altman admitted that some clauses in the off-boarding agreement, such as threats to take away an employee’s equity for speaking negatively about OpenAI, were inappropriate and should not have been in place.
The restrictive agreement required departing employees to sign both non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions, effectively silencing any criticism of the company indefinitely. Failure to comply with the agreement could result in the loss of vested equity, creating a significant deterrent for employees to speak out.
Altman clarified that while the company has never actually revoked anyone’s vested equity, the mere presence of such a provision was a mistake on his part. He acknowledged that this situation has left him feeling genuinely embarrassed and took full responsibility for the oversight.
In response to the backlash, OpenAI has been revising its exit paperwork to ensure that such restrictive clauses are removed. Altman also extended an apology to any former employees who signed the previous agreements, offering to rectify the situation and address any concerns they may have.
The news of these problematic exit agreements came after the departure of key employees, including OpenAI’s co-founder and chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and Jan Leike, who co-led the company’s super alignment team. This development has raised questions about the company’s practices and the treatment of its employees.
As OpenAI works towards resolving this issue and rebuilding trust with its employees, the focus is on creating a more transparent and employee-friendly work environment. The company’s commitment to rectifying past mistakes and ensuring a fair and respectful off-boarding process will be crucial in shaping its future reputation in the tech industry.
