"" Departure of OpenAI's Ethics Lead Raises Questions
Chlo\u00e9 Bakalar, OpenAI's AI Ethics Lead, has left the company after less than a year. This departure is the latest in a series of safety and ethics departures, which began in 2024. The trend has affected around 50% of OpenAI's safety researchers, who cite a perceived deprioritization of safety amid rapid commercialization and frequent model releases.
Johannes Heidecke, who led Safety Systems, also departed in July 2026. Lilian Weng, a previous head of Safety Systems, left within the same timeframe. The turnover has primarily affected members of the Superalignment team and various leadership figures responsible for safety systems.
OpenAI's situation is compounded by its unusual corporate trajectory. The company has evolved from a nonprofit research lab into one of the most valuable private technology companies on the planet. This transformation has brought enormous commercial pressures that didn't exist when the organization was founded with a mission centered on developing AI safely for the benefit of humanity.
A Pattern of Departures
Bakalar's departure is not an isolated event. It follows a broader wave of departures from OpenAI's safety, ethics, and alignment teams. Since 2023 and 2024, around 50% of OpenAI's safety researchers have left the company. The departures are attributed to a perceived deprioritization of safety amid rapid commercialization and frequent model releases.
A Competitor's Response
Companies like Anthropic, which was founded by former OpenAI employees who left partly over safety concerns, have made responsible AI development a core part of their brand identity. OpenAI's competitors are watching closely, as the company continues to evolve and grow.
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