Former OpenAI Employees Urge California and Delaware Attorneys General to Protect AI’s Charitable Mission
Concerns Over OpenAI’s Shift to For-Profit Structure
A group of former employees from OpenAI is urging California and Delaware’s top law enforcement officials to intervene in the company’s plans to transition control of its artificial intelligence technology from a nonprofit charity to a for-profit entity. Their concern revolves around the potential implications of such a shift, particularly as OpenAI seeks to develop artificial intelligence that may surpass human capabilities. Critics fear the company may no longer be accountable to its original mission: safeguarding technology from causing significant harm.
Page Hedley, a former policy and ethics adviser at OpenAI, expressed his worries in an interview with The Associated Press: "Ultimately, I’m worried about who owns and controls this technology once it’s created."
High-Profile Support for the Cause
Backed by three Nobel Prize winners and a coalition of experts, Hedley, along with nine other ex-OpenAI employees, dispatched a letter this week to California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. The group is calling for action to uphold OpenAI’s charitable mission and halt its proposed restructuring. OpenAI is incorporated in Delaware but operates out of San Francisco, putting it under the jurisdiction of both states.
The Call to Action
The coalition’s request emphasizes the importance of protecting OpenAI’s foundational goals. They argue that shifting to a for-profit model could compromise the organization’s commitment to public benefit. Bonta and Jennings, both Democrats, have been called upon to leverage their authority to ensure the charity’s objectives are preserved.
OpenAI previously stated that any changes to its structure would serve the broader public interest, asserting that its for-profit subsidiary would operate as a public benefit corporation. This structure aims to enable the nonprofit and for-profit arms to grow simultaneously, maintaining the overall mission.
Inside the Controversy
The current plea to state officials marks the second such petition submitted within the month. Earlier in October, another group composed of labor leaders and nonprofit organizations appealed for protections regarding OpenAI’s extensive charitable assets.
Jennings has previously asserted her commitment to scrutinizing any potential transactions to safeguard public interests. Bonta’s office, for its part, has requested additional information from OpenAI but has refrained from commenting on whether an investigation is ongoing.
Originally founded as a nonprofit research lab, OpenAI’s mission has evolved amid substantial market valuations. Nearly a decade post-establishment, the company’s market value is reported at a staggering $300 billion, with around 400 million users actively engaging with its flagship product, ChatGPT.
Ongoing Legal Challenges
OpenAI does face obstacles as it seeks to transition its core governance structure. Among these, Elon Musk, one of the company’s co-founders, has launched a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the organization has strayed from its founding principles, which prompted his initial investment into the charity.
While some individuals who signed the recent letter support Musk’s lawsuit, Hedley noted that others are "understandably cynical," considering Musk’s ownership of a competing AI company.
The Voices of Concern
The letter’s signatories include prominent economists like Oliver Hart and Joseph Stiglitz and leading AI researchers such as Geoffrey Hinton and Stuart Russell. Hinton has voiced his support for maintaining OpenAI’s mission, expressing concerns over profit overshadowing the organization’s commitment to humanity.
“I’m happy there is an effort to hold OpenAI to its mission that does not involve Elon Musk,” Hinton stated, emphasizing the significance of preserving the original charitable intent.
Internal Struggles and Ethical Concerns
Conflicts regarding OpenAI’s mission have long been part of the organization’s culture, contributing to several high-profile departures, including Musk in 2018 and Altman’s temporary ouster in 2023.
Hedley, who was part of OpenAI from 2017 to 2018, observed a troubling trend in recent years, noting that as OpenAI has gained success, it has seemingly cut corners on safety testing to accelerate product releases in the competitive market.
“The costs of those decisions will continue to go up as the technology becomes more powerful,” he warned. In his view, the proposed restructuring could create incentives that prioritize speed over caution in the development of increasingly advanced AI.
Safeguards at Risk
Software engineer Anish Tondwalkar, another former team member, raised alarms about an important clause in OpenAI’s nonprofit charter: the "stop-and-assist clause." This provision mandates that OpenAI must halt its own projects and assist other organizations nearing the creation of superior AI technology.
"If OpenAI is allowed to become a for-profit, these safeguards, and OpenAI’s duty to the public can vanish overnight," Tondwalkar cautioned.
Another signatory, Nisan Stiennon, bluntly stated the stakes involved: “OpenAI may one day build technology that could get us all killed." He reinforced the argument that OpenAI must remain a nonprofit, given its crucial obligation to humanity.
Conclusion
The drive to safeguard OpenAI’s mission illustrates broader concerns surrounding AI’s evolution and ethical implications. As stakeholders—including former employees, legal officers, and concerned citizens—grapple with the complexities of AI governance, the future of OpenAI remains uncertain.
Questions and Answers
1. Why are former OpenAI employees concerned about the company’s shift to for-profit?
- They fear that shifting to a for-profit model may undermine OpenAI’s original mission to safeguard technology and could lead to unchecked development of AI that surpasses human abilities.
2. Who supports the former employees’ letter to the attorneys general?
- The letter is backed by three Nobel Prize winners and various advocates and experts in the AI field.
3. What legal challenges is OpenAI currently facing regarding its restructuring?
- OpenAI is dealing with a lawsuit from co-founder Elon Musk, who claims the company has abandoned its founding principles.
4. What is the significance of the "stop-and-assist clause" in OpenAI’s nonprofit charter?
- This clause requires OpenAI to halt its projects and assist other organizations approaching the development of better-than-human AI to ensure safety and ethical considerations.
5. How has OpenAI’s market value and user engagement changed since its founding?
- OpenAI’s market value has soared to approximately $300 billion, with around 400 million active users of ChatGPT, its flagship product, reflecting its rapid growth since its establishment as a nonprofit research lab.