OpenAI Researcher Leaves, Accusing Company of Silencing Research

OpenAI, the world’s leading AI developer, is facing accusations of censoring its own economic research to downplay the negative impacts of artificial intelligence, leading to the departure of at least two staffers.

A high-profile resignation at OpenAI’s economic research team has brought internal conflicts over transparency and business interests into the spotlight. Tom Cunningham, an economics researcher, left OpenAI in September after growing frustrated with limits around publishing certain kinds of work.

In an internal farewell message, Cunningham wrote that the team faced tension between conducting serious research and serving as what he described as a “de facto advocacy arm” for OpenAI, according to sources cited by WIRED.

Sources told WIRED that at least one other member of the same team has also left in recent months, suggesting deeper unease within the group.

The company’s defense

After Cunningham’s departure, OpenAI chief strategy officer Jason Kwon addressed the concerns in an internal Slack message seen by WIRED. Kwon argued that OpenAI isn’t just an observer but a leader in the AI space, and that comes with responsibility.

“My POV on hard subjects is not that we shouldn’t talk about them,” Kwon wrote. “Rather, because we are not just a research institution, but also an actor in the world (the leading actor in fact) that puts the subject of inquiry (AI) into the world, we are expected to take agency for the outcomes.”

OpenAI has publicly denied suppressing research. In a statement to WIRED, spokesperson Rob Friedlander said the company has expanded, not narrowed, its economic research efforts since hiring its first chief economist, Aaron Chatterji, last year.

“The economic research team conducts rigorous analysis that helps OpenAI, policymakers, and the public understand how people are using AI and how it is shaping the broader economy, including where benefits are emerging and where societal impacts or disruptions may arise as the technology evolves,” said Friedlander.

Not an isolated departure

This isn’t the first time a departing OpenAI employee has hinted at research restrictions. WIRED noted that when former head of policy research Miles Brundage left in October 2024, he said it had become “hard for me to publish on all the topics that are important to me.”

The allegations come as OpenAI is more powerful and more scrutinized than ever. It has secured multibillion-dollar partnerships and is a key player in global tech policy. 

Some experts and insiders, speaking anonymously to WIRED, suggest the company has grown more cautious about publishing work that highlights economic downsides like job displacement, preferring instead to spotlight positive findings, like a recent report claiming its AI saves users 40-60 minutes a day.

A different tune from a rival

The situation at OpenAI stands in contrast to that of one of its main competitors, Anthropic. The company’s CEO, Dario Amodei, has repeatedly warned that AI could automate huge chunks of white-collar work.

Those warnings have drawn criticism from the current White House. David Sacks, special adviser for AI, accused Anthropic of running a “sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering.”

AI companies now hold unusual power to shape how the public and policymakers understand the risks of the technology they are building. Critics argue that if negative findings are softened or delayed, governments may lack the full picture as they consider regulation.

Also worth a look: OpenAI just unveiled GPT-5.2, offering a clearer view into how the company is shaping the next phase of its AI roadmap.