OpenAI employees can apparently complain directly to Sam Altman

OpenAI employees can directly reach founder and CEO Sam Altman through an email address, friction@openai.com. This inbox was established to allow workers to report company issues that the leadership team can prioritize and address. The use of friction@ expanded after Fidji Simo joined OpenAI as CEO of Applications in late 2025, where she implemented the process and assigned Irina Kofman to monitor the inbox and ensure resolution.

Simo also set up a monthly Slack update to track progress. Former employees praised the system, noting it provides a straightforward way for anyone to voice concerns to Sam Altman, who can then act on them. However, some former staff members expressed concerns about inefficiency, as only issues deemed worthy by Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman would be prioritized.

While the system offers real-time feedback from within the company, external critiques can be directed to Altman on platforms like X. Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed suit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging copyright infringement in the development and operation of their AI technologies.