OpenAI is said to be requesting contractors to submit actual work samples from their previous employment

OpenAI Allegedly Requests Contractors to Share Previous Work Samples

According to a Wired report, OpenAI, in collaboration with the data training firm Handshake AI, has been asking external contractors to submit examples of actual work they have completed in both current and former roles.

This initiative is reportedly part of a broader movement among artificial intelligence companies, who are employing contractors to produce high-quality datasets. The ultimate goal is to enable AI systems to eventually handle more complex, professional tasks typically performed by office workers.

Documents from OpenAI are said to instruct contractors to detail the tasks they have carried out in other positions and to provide authentic work samples they have personally created. These submissions may include original files such as Word documents, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, images, or code repositories, rather than summaries or descriptions.

Contractors are reportedly told to remove any sensitive or proprietary data before uploading their materials. To assist with this, OpenAI directs them to use a ChatGPT-based tool called “Superstar Scrubbing.”

Despite these precautions, intellectual property attorney Evan Brown told Wired that this practice could expose AI companies to significant legal risks, as it relies heavily on contractors’ judgment to determine what information is confidential.

OpenAI has not provided any official comment regarding these claims.

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