Report: OpenAI Fired Aschenbrenner Over Security Memo to Board
DKokotajlo · x · 2026-08-07
Daniel Kokotajlo echoed Dwarkesh Patel's report that OpenAI HR informed Leopold Aschenbrenner his firing was largely due to a memo he sent the board warning about the company's broken security.
Furthermore, up until 2024, OpenAI included a secret non-disparagement clause in off-boarding agreements, clawing back equity for those who didn't sign. Aschenbrenner, at just 22 years old, and Kokotajlo were among the very few researchers who refused to sign the "golden handcuffs."
Related event: OpenAI Firing Controversy: Safety Memo Suspected(2 posts)→
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