Leaked documents reveal that OpenAI has been employing aggressive tactics towards former employees, requiring them to sign lifelong non-disparagement agreements and NDAs that prevent them from revealing this fact. Reports indicate that the company pressured employees to sign these agreements under threat of losing their vested equity and exclusion from future liquidity events. Despite CEO Sam Altman's claims of ignorance, evidence suggests that OpenAI's leadership was fully aware of these practices. The leaked documents, published by Vox, have prompted OpenAI to announce that it will no longer enforce these restrictive agreements. This development has sparked significant criticism and raised questions about OpenAI's treatment of its employees and the liquidity of its equity. An internal memo viewed by CNBC confirmed this policy change, which could have involved clawing back millions.
I can't believe that OpenAI didn't offer *any* payment for signing the non-disparage, just threats... This makes it even clearer that Altman's claims of ignorance were lies - he cannot possibly have believed that former employees unanimously signed non-disparagements for free! https://t.co/QXzOF9IUAW
A follow-up question to OpenAI’s “near-arbitrary authority to claw back equity from former employees” is whether or not those same terms apply to investor equity as well. It could given their hybrid non-profit structure and to protect (maneuver around?) that status. https://t.co/Cw4al0okbE
Really speaks to how profoundly the "ultrarestrictive secret NDA or lose your equity" agreement was an own goal for OpenAI - I would say a solid majority of the former employees affected did not even want to criticize the company, until it threatened their compensation. https://t.co/EJgpkntue7
When I left @OpenAI a little over a year ago, I signed a non-disparagement agreement, with non-disclosure about the agreement itself, for no other reason than to avoid losing my vested equity. (Thread)
OpenAI tells employees it won't claw back their vested equity https://t.co/K0zs2naXiy
OpenAI ends harsh non-disparagement agreements that could claw back millions https://t.co/x592zrLv2P
OpenAI Switches Course, Won't Punish Employees for Speaking Out https://t.co/1xLoeTdtfJ
Evidence is coming out that OpenAI execs knew full well what they were doing with their coercive “non-disparagement agreement or goodbye equity” BS, which… of course they did (I already assumed) Sam’s denials not withstanding. https://t.co/z16t2uQmWF
Today, OpenAI walked back controversial NDAs that essentially would make former employees choose between signing contracts that never expired or keeping their vested equity. The internal memo, which was viewed by CNBC, was sent to current & former workers.https://t.co/s58SdJ6i0k
OpenAI NDAs: Leaked documents reveal aggressive tactics toward former employees - Vox https://t.co/kQbQiYIN0c
I've gotten confirmation from multiple former OpenAI employees that the company emailed this afternoon to state that the company "will not enforce" nondisparagement and nonsolicitation agreements in connection with their employment with OpenAI.
New information suggests former OpenAI staff faced additional pressures to stay quiet about their former workplace. https://t.co/AQrz2TH2sh
How OpenAI Used Equity to Silence Dissent https://t.co/oiQ5S3uuMW https://t.co/sA6eOzEPZj
very good report about OpenAI forcing departing employees into restrictive NDAs (and the seemingly false claims made by execs in response to these reports) https://t.co/zrdchjnlpi
In the tech industry it’s fairly common knowledge that some companies offer their generous severance package only when signing a long non-disparagement clause. I know of no other company outside of OpenAI that took back *vested* stock to stop leaving employees from criticising. https://t.co/5MsHE7m4Wm
Despite recent apologies and reassurances, documents leaked to Vox show OpenAI pressured departing employees over equity https://t.co/RzCxGUz1HC
Vox just released an article on how OpenAI handles employee resignations. They have also published the documents on their news article. Reason why you don't see anyone talking about Open AI once they leave the company. More details in🧵 https://t.co/UyNJJgAXOS
OpenAI NDAs: Leaked documents reveal aggressive tactics toward former employees https://t.co/V3kGQeIyRH
Wild. Based on this reporting it sounds like not only are there questionable practices on forcing non-disparagement agreements but OpenAI’s “equity” is extremely illiquid too. They can exclude you from tender offers for any reason based on the reported incorporation documents. https://t.co/jW8PkWaZ3v
This is completely unacceptable behavior by OpenAI. Threating former employees, putting artificial time pressure to prevent them from getting legal advice and much more. How a company treats ex-employees tells a lot how much they value their employees in general. https://t.co/otvnW650yh
impressive follow-up from @KelseyTuoc bringing receipts that it wasn't just some standard exit paperwork from OpenAI; they seem to have proactively pressured employees to sign the non-disparagement clause, with crystal-clear threats to exclude them from future liquidity events https://t.co/3t0cU4OFJg
It was recently revealed that OpenAI requires former employees to sign a non-disparagement agreement after they leave the company or lose their VESTED shares. Sam Altman expressed surprise that the company does this and claims the company has never clawed back shares due to this https://t.co/2IvzU5Cps2
This whole thread is such an indictment of OpenAI's leadership. This combination is pretty evil: 1) Requiring employees to sign lifelong non-disparagement agreements 2) Requiring employees to sign an NDA that forbade them from ever revealing this fact 3) Threatening their… https://t.co/GqptkwEpGK