OpenAI Probed Safety Researchers’ Signal Messaging Before Firings

OpenAI examined the phones of their three recently fired safety researchers. Two say talks with an outside researcher were part of their jobs; OpenAI alleges broader misconduct. AI developer OpenAI examined safety researchers’ personal phones during a leak investigation before dismissing three employees, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Two researchers say disappearing Signal conversations with an outside safety collaborator were cited in their terminations, putting contacts they considered part of their jobs at the center of a dispute over company secrets. The employees, Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni and Jasmine Wang, deny sharing confidential information. OpenAI says its investigation found violations of sensitive-information policies and that the dismissals were unrelated to raising safety concerns.