An OpenAI whistleblower has been found dead in his San Francisco apartment, according to CNBC.
Researcher Suchir Balaji, 26, spent four years working for the artificial intelligence company until earlier this year, when he publicly raised concerns that OpenAI had violated US copyright law.
“The manner of death has been determined to be suicide,” David Serrano Sewell, executive director of San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told CNBC on Friday.
He said Mr Balaji’s next of kin have been notified.
Police officers were called to an apartment on Buchanan Street on the afternoon of 26 November to conduct a “wellbeing check”.
They found a deceased adult male, and discovered “no evidence of foul play” in their initial investigation, the department said.
The New York Times published a story about his concerns around OpenAI in October, where he told them: “If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company.”
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He told the paper ChatGPT and other similar chatbots would make it impossible for many people and organisations to stay commercially viable if their content was used to train AI systems.
OpenAI confirmed Mr Balaji’s death.
“We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said an OpenAI spokesperson in an email.
AI is trained using huge datasets taken from different sources all over the internet.
There’s growing concern, however, that those datasets will undermine how news organisations, artists, writers, filmmakers and more, make money.
OpenAI is currently involved in multiple legal disputes over its alleged use of copyrighted material.
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
