OpenAI fires safety VP amid sexual discrimination claims and ChatGPT adult mode controversy

OpenAI Safety VP Reportedly Fired for Sexual Discrimination Against Her Male Colleague

OpenAI has reportedly fired safety executive Ryan Beirmeister, whose title at the company was VP of product policy. According to the Wall Street Journal, which broke the story, Beirmeister was told her firing was related to sexual discrimination against a male colleague. “The allegation that I discriminated against anyone is absolutely false,†Beiermeister told the journal in a statement. According to anonymous sources who spoke to the Journal, The firing, which apparently occurred in early January, came after Beirmeister had stated her opposition to the ChatGPT adult mode (or erotica mode?) Sam Altman announced in October of last year. Beirmeister was also, according to the Journal, the creator of an internal “peer-mentorship†group for women at OpenAI. A possible adult mode has been in the works for a long time. A model spec in 2024 hinted at the possibility of NSFW content. However, OpenAI told Mashable around the release of that document, "We have no intention to create AI-generated pornography.†OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman backtracked slightly on his adult mode announcement from last year, emphasizing mature conversations, rather than horniness, but the ability for users to have some form of cybersex with OpenAI’s signature chatbot still seems to be on its way. Altman just wants to provide, he says, “a lot of freedom for people to use AI in the ways that they want,†and he said he and his company “are not the elected moral police of the world.†The sources who spoke to the journal also mentioned an “advisory council†on “well-being and AI†inside OpenAI, and this entity has apparently asked for the release of adult mode to be reconsidered. But OpenAI’s statement to the Journal on Beirmeister’s firing strongly implies that it had nothing to do with adult mode. It says she “made valuable contributions during her time at OpenAI, and her departure was not related to any issue she raised while working at the company.â€Â

OpenAI fires policy exec who opposed ChatGPT's adult mode: Here's what happened

This comes after internal disagreements over the company's plan to roll out an adult mode in ChatGPT. OpenAI has reportedly fired one of its top safety and policy leaders, Ryan Beiermeister, after internal disagreements over the company's plan to roll out an adult mode in ChatGPT. The company said her termination was linked to allegations of sexual discrimination against a male colleague, a claim she has strongly denied. Beiermeister, who served as Vice President leading OpenAI's product policy team, was let go in early January after a leave of absence, reports WSJ. Her team was responsible for setting rules around how users can interact with OpenAI's products and designing systems to enforce those rules. Responding to the allegation, Beiermeister said, 'The allegation that I discriminated against anyone is absolutely false.' Also read: Samsung Unpacked 2026: Galaxy S26 series and Galaxy Buds 4 to launch on this date An OpenAI spokeswoman said Beiermeister 'made valuable contributions during her time at OpenAI, and her departure was not related to any issue she raised while working at the company.' Her exit came ahead of OpenAI's planned launch of a new mode that would allow adult users to create AI erotica in ChatGPT. The feature is expected to permit sexual and adult-themed conversations for users above a certain age. However, the plan has sparked concern inside the company. Also read: Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro leaks: Launch timeline, India pricing, camera, battery and more Some researchers at OpenAI reportedly warned that allowing sexual content could deepen unhealthy emotional attachments that some users already form with AI chatbots. Members of an advisory council focused on 'well-being and AI' also expressed opposition to the feature and urged the company to rethink its decision. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has defended the move, saying it is part of an effort to 'treat adult users like adults.' Before her termination, Beiermeister had shared concerns with colleagues. She reportedly worried that the adult mode could harm users and questioned whether OpenAI's systems were strong enough to block child exploitation content. She also raised doubts about the company's ability to fully prevent teens from accessing adult material. Beiermeister joined OpenAI in mid-2024 after working at Meta and later launched a peer mentorship program for women at the company in early 2025.