It's about keeping your options open, and being the one holding the cards. The fact that he could speak out is itself incentive for OpenAI to be less evil, even

It's about keeping your options open, and being the one holding the cards. The fact that he could speak out is itself incentive for OpenAI to be less evil, even if he's not actually saying anything yet. 85% net worth is huge, but I'm sure that 15% was already more than enough to ensure a comfortable lifestyle for him and his family. It's a whole lot easier to take strong ideological stances when your foundational needs are already met.