Whistleblower Protections for AI Employees

Region: North America
Category: Whistleblowing and Technology
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Whistleblower Protections for AI Employees

 

Authored by: Claudia Wilson, Jennifer Gibson, Kristin Brown, Abra Ganz, Karl Koch 

Published by: Center For AI Policy (CAIP), PsstCentre for AI Risk Management & Alignment (CARMA)OAISIS/Third Opinion

Publication Date: June 2025

 

About: AI capabilities are rapidly advancing, and so too are the risks. Malicious actors could misuse models to conduct sophisticated cyberattacks or to design bioweapons. AI deployed in critical sectors could malfunction in unexpected ways, causing widespread devastation. Whistleblowers are a powerful tool to minimise the risk of public harm from AI.

Proper protections can be designed to avoid concerns such as the violation of trade secrets. Yet, AI employees have no dedicated whistleblower protections. Instead, they are forced to rely on patchy state laws or attempt to make their concerns relevant to SEC legislation.

This leaves AI employees uncertain about whether they will be protected, disincentivising them from reporting potentially catastrophic issues. AI employees and whistleblowers have expressed the desire for explicit legal protections. Thirteen current and previous employees have publicly called for a “Right to Warn”. Separately, anonymous surveys indicate that employees are afraid of retaliation.


Languages: English

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