“Genuinely embarrassed” | Sam Altman apologizes after learning strict OpenAI NDAs threatened to claw back employee equity

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said he is “genuinely embarrassed” after the exit of two high-profile safety researchers revealed clauses in non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements (NDAs) that could have cost workers vested equity if they criticized the company.

Following the departure of Co-founder and former Chief Scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and Superalignment Co-lead Jan Leike, Vox News reported that the lack of communication from the two ex-employees on their resignation was due to the existence of such contracts.

Sam Altman, responding to the news, revealed he did not know the policy existed, but confirmed the report from Vox was legitimate – though added it has never been used, writing on X that OpenAI has never "clawed back anyone's vested equity.”

"This is on me and one of the few times i've been genuinely embarrassed running openai; i did not know this was happening and i should have," Altman stated.