#36 GPs AI News Bytes: OpenAI's Lifetime Non-Disparagement Policy Controversy
Graham dePenros
AI Ethicist & Futurist | Strategist, Advisor, Mentor, & Commentator | Writing 'Cognitive Warfare: AI&I' & 'This Topia' | #16 Gartner Global CyberSME's | IBM SuperCyberSec VIP | Career Sales $400M+ | 3 Exits
Welcome to GPs AI News Bytes Part 36. The content of this news byte has been aggregated from multiple sources using Perplexity AI, an AI-chatbot-powered research and conversational search engine that answers queries using natural language predictive text.
Perplexity generates answers using sources from the web and cites links within the text response. It is GP’s go-to source for headline research. Check it out.
Severe Concerns about OpenAI Gagging Current & Former Employees
OpenAI has faced criticism for its lifetime non-disparagement policy, prohibiting current and former employees from making disparaging statements about the company or its products and services.
This policy has raised concerns about transparency, accountability, and freedom of speech. The critical point is that it applies in perpetuity to all current and former employees, contractors, and others who have worked with OpenAI.
The policy bars individuals from making any statements that could disparage OpenAI, its management, products, services, or other employees even after leaving the company.
Critics argue that such a broad and perpetual non-disparagement clause stifles open discussion, public scrutiny, and whistleblowing about potential issues or concerns related to OpenAI’s powerful AI systems.
Opaque Ethics and Counterintuitive to Altman’s Public Statements
The policy has been seen as an attempt to control the narrative around OpenAI’s activities and prevent potential criticism or dissent from insiders. OpenAI argues that the policy is necessary to protect trade secrets and maintain a positive working environment.
Many insider sources say that the internal view is that it goes too far in restricting free speech. Non-disparagement agreements are common in the tech industry, but OpenAI’s lifetime policy is unusually restrictive. It threatens public discourse and accountability regarding OpenAIs development and deployment of advanced AI systems.
See you in Part 37. In the meantime.
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