OpenAI doesn't give shares or options. They give "profit participation units". They had agreements in place that allowed them to cancel the already vested PPUs

OpenAI doesn't give shares or options. They give "profit participation units". They had agreements in place that allowed them to cancel the already vested PPUs if the employer didn't sign a draconian non-disparagement agreement, the contents of which were only revealed to them when they left. (Not when they signed the employement agreement.) OpenAI has admitted that the contracts really did contain those clauses. They're just claiming that they'd obviously never enforce those clauses, and that the clauses were put in by some rogue employees without the knowledge of the leadership.