OpenAI is currently navigating turbulent waters following the resignation of prominent AI researcher Jan Leike, who has publicly criticized the company’s prioritization of rapid technological advancements over safety measures. Leike’s departure, confirmed just hours after the resignation of chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, has intensified scrutiny on CEO Sam Altman’s leadership and the company’s strategic direction.

Leike, a pivotal figure in OpenAI’s pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), detailed his concerns in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this month. He accused OpenAI of focusing excessively on developing high-profile AI products, at the expense of addressing the significant risks posed by advancing AI technologies. His post underscored a growing internal rift within the company regarding its approach to AI development.

“I joined because I thought OpenAI would be the best place in the world to do this research. However, I have been disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company’s core priorities for quite some time, until we finally reached a breaking point,” Leike wrote. He emphasized the urgent need for OpenAI to adopt a “safety-first” approach to AGI, warning that the current trajectory could lead to dangerous outcomes for humanity.

Leike’s resignation follows closely on the heels of Sutskever’s exit, further fueling concerns about the stability and direction of OpenAI’s leadership. OpenAI has been at the forefront of AI innovation, with its latest iteration, ChatGPT-4o, showcasing remarkable advancements in machine intelligence. However, the swift progress has alarmed both government bodies and industry experts who worry about the potential implications of AI systems surpassing human intelligence.