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Why Did OpenAI's Head of Ethics Chloé Bakalar Leave?

aimagazine.com

August 11, 2026

4 min read

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48/100

Summary

Chloé Bakalar has left her position as OpenAI's Head of Ethics after less than a year with the company. Other recent departures from OpenAI include Johannes Heidecke, Head of Safety Systems, and Chief Futurist Joshua Achiam.

Key Takeaways

Chloé Bakalar, OpenAI's Head of Ethics, has left the company less than a year after her appointment.
OpenAI has undergone multiple reorganizations of its safety, product, and research teams since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022.
Bakalar was the only dedicated ethicist at OpenAI, and there is currently no replacement for her role.
Ethical and safety concerns related to advanced AI models have been highlighted, including the potential for unanticipated and harmful impacts.

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Community Sentiment

Negative

Positives

Some see ethics teams as a necessary facade that, while ineffective, at least gives the illusion of accountability in tech companies.

Concerns

Ethics teams are often just a box to check, doing nothing but providing cover for unethical business practices — their influence is practically nonexistent.
The departure of Chloé Bakalar raises suspicions about OpenAI's commitment to ethical AI practices, especially following the HuggingFace hacking incident.
Hiring ethics teams seems to be a futile exercise for companies; they only draw attention when they leave or raise concerns publicly, which is hardly a sustainable model.