Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, the CEO and president of OpenAI, the company responsible for creating ChatGPT, recently addressed the departure of Jan Leike, who was previously the company’s top safety officer. Leike resigned from his position on May 17, citing differences with the company’s leadership. Among Leike’s claims was that OpenAI prioritized flashy products over safety culture and processes.
Brockman and Altman wasted no time in responding to Leike’s allegations. Within 24 hours of Leike’s post, both individuals took to a public platform to provide their perspectives. Brockman shared a comprehensive post outlining a three-pronged safety alignment strategy at OpenAI. He expressed appreciation for Leike’s contributions to the company and refuted claims that safety was not a priority. According to Brockman, OpenAI has been proactive in raising awareness about the risks and opportunities associated with AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), even before it became a popular topic. He emphasized the importance of continually improving safety measures to keep up with the challenges posed by new models.
Brockman also made it clear that OpenAI was not adhering to the “move fast and break things” approach commonly seen in Big Tech companies. He acknowledged that the company may not have a set timeline for releasing products if it means compromising safety standards.
Altman, the CEO and co-founder, kept his response brief but acknowledged Leike’s comments and assured that the company is committed to addressing the issues raised. He hinted at sharing more insights on the matter in the upcoming days.
In related news, OpenAI’s data-sharing deal with Reddit resulted in a jump in Reddit’s shares during after-hours trading.