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OpenAI\u2019s NDAs are once again under scrutiny after whistleblowers penned a letter to the SEC alleging that employees were made to sign \u201cillegally restrictive\u201d agreements preventing them from speaking out on the potential harms of the company\u2019s technology. The letter, which was obtained and published online by <\/em><\/a>, accuses OpenAI of violating SEC rules meant to protect employees\u2019 rights to report their concerns to federal authorities and prevent retaliation. It follows an official complaint that was filed with the SEC in June.<\/p>\n In the letter, the whistleblowers ask the SEC to \u201ctake swift and aggressive steps\u201d to enforce the rules they say OpenAI has violated. The alleged violations include making employees sign agreements \u201cthat failed to exempt disclosures of securities violations to the SEC\u201d and requiring employees obtain consent from the company before disclosing confidential information to the authorities. The letter also says OpenAI\u2019s agreements required employees to \u201cwaive compensation that was intended by Congress to incentivize reporting and provide financial relief to whistleblowers.\u201d<\/p>\n In a statement to the Post<\/em>, OpenAI spokesperson Hannah Wong said, \u201cOur whistleblower policy protects employees\u2019 rights to make protected disclosures,\u201d and added that the company has made \u201cimportant changes\u201d to its off-boarding papers to do away with nondisparagement terms. OpenAI previously said it was fixing these agreements after it was accused this spring of threatening to <\/a> if they didn\u2019t sign NDAs on their way out.<\/p>\n According to The Washington Post<\/em>, the SEC has responded to the complaint, but no details have yet been released regarding any action it is or isn\u2019t going to take. But the whistleblowers say enforcement is of utmost importance \u201ceven if OpenAI is making reforms in light of the public disclosures of their illegal contracts.\u201d The letter says it is necessary \u201cnot as an attack on OpenAI or to hinder the advancement of AI technology, but to send the message to others in the AI space, and to the tech industry at large, that violations on the right of employees or investors to report wrongdoing will not be tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n