The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a $3.2 million settlement with OpenAI to resolve allegations of discriminating against U.S. workers. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division found that the AI company illegally preferred workers with temporary visas over American applicants during its hiring and recruitment processes.
Under the agreement, the Microsoft-backed company will pay a $1.2 million civil penalty and establish a $2 million back-pay fund to compensate victims of the alleged discriminatory practices. The investigation concluded that OpenAI discouraged U.S. workers from applying for certain positions by not listing them on its external job website and requiring paper applications, contrary to its standard electronic process.