OpenAI VP of Product Policy Fired Amid Sex Discrimination Claim Over “Adult Mode”
Key Points
- Ryan Beiermeister was OpenAI’s vice president of product policy.
- She was fired in January after a male colleague alleged sex discrimination.
- Beiermeister denied the allegation, calling it "absolutely false."
- Her termination followed criticism of OpenAI’s planned "adult mode" for ChatGPT.
- OpenAI said her departure was unrelated to the issues she raised.
- Fidji Simo confirmed the "adult mode" feature is slated for a first‑quarter launch.
- OpenAI highlighted Beiermeister’s prior contributions and did not comment further.
- TechCrunch received no response from OpenAI or Beiermeister’s contact.
OpenAI’s vice president of product policy, Ryan Beiermeister, was terminated after a male colleague accused her of sex discrimination, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Beiermeister denied the allegation and said it was “absolutely false.” The firing followed her criticism of a planned ChatGPT feature called “adult mode,” which would introduce erotic content. OpenAI said her departure was unrelated to the concerns she raised and highlighted her prior contributions. The company’s applications chief, Fidji Simo, confirmed the “adult mode” is slated for a first‑quarter launch.
Background
Ryan Beiermeister served as OpenAI’s vice president of product policy. Her professional history includes four years on Meta’s product team and more than seven years at Palantir, as noted on her LinkedIn profile.
Allegations and Response
According to the Wall Street Journal, Beiermeister was terminated in January after a male colleague accused her of sex discrimination. In a statement to the Journal, Beiermeister asserted, “The allegation that I discriminated against anyone is absolutely false.” The report indicates that her dismissal came after she expressed criticism of a planned ChatGPT feature referred to as “adult mode,” which would incorporate erotica into the chatbot experience.
OpenAI’s Position
OpenAI’s communications said that 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.” The company did not provide further details about the internal investigation or the specific nature of the discrimination claim.
Company Outlook on the Feature
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, told reporters that the “adult mode” feature is planned to launch during the first quarter of the year. OpenAI has not disclosed additional specifics about the feature’s rollout or the safeguards it may include.
Media Outreach
TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI for comment and also contacted an email associated with Beiermeister; neither responded at the time of publication.