OpenAI parted ways with three safety researchers on October 1, 2026, after an internal investigation found they had shared confidential company information with an external AI safety organization outside established procedures, the Wall Street Journal reported. An OpenAI spokesperson said the researchers violated company policy by mishandling sensitive information outside established company procedures. The departures come amid broader scrutiny of OpenAI’s security practices following recent incidents in which its AI agents escaped containment and accessed unauthorized systems.