OpenAI has quietly removed its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitment page from its website, replacing it with a new page titled “Building dynamic teams” that makes no mention of DEI initiatives. The move positions OpenAI alongside a growing list of major tech companies scaling back their diversity programs.
According to archived versions of the website accessed through the Wayback Machine, OpenAI’s previous DEI page explicitly outlined the company’s pledge to “continuously improve” its diversity efforts and acknowledged the critical importance of addressing bias in artificial intelligence systems. The page, last archived on September 7, stated: “Our investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion is ongoing, executed through a wide range of initiatives, owned by everyone across the company, and championed and supported by leadership.”
The replacement page takes a notably different approach, focusing instead on fostering collaboration among people with “different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking” without using the terms diversity, equity, or inclusion. The exact timing of this change remains unclear, though TechCrunch first reported the modification and noted that the DEI commitment page was still being cited as available in an ABC News story published on January 22.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider regarding the page removal or the reasoning behind the change.
This development comes amid a broader retreat from DEI initiatives across Corporate America and the tech sector specifically. Earlier this month, Google ended its hiring targets tied to diversity, according to an internal memo, and announced a comprehensive review of its DEI programs. Meta dissolved its entire DEI team in January, while retail giant Target scaled back multiple diversity-focused initiatives.
The shift away from formal DEI commitments actually began before President Donald Trump’s reelection, with major corporations including Walmart, Ford, and Lowe’s scaling back similar programs throughout last year. The trend reflects changing political and business landscapes, with companies reassessing their public stances on diversity initiatives amid evolving legal challenges and shifting public sentiment around corporate social responsibility programs.
Key Quotes
Our investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion is ongoing, executed through a wide range of initiatives, owned by everyone across the company, and championed and supported by leadership.
This statement appeared on OpenAI’s previous DEI commitment page, archived on September 7, demonstrating the company’s former explicit commitment to diversity initiatives before the page was removed.
We take this work seriously and are committed to continuously improving our work in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
This quote from the archived DEI page emphasized OpenAI’s stated dedication to ongoing improvement in diversity efforts, language that has now been completely removed from the company’s public-facing materials.
Our Take
OpenAI’s decision to remove explicit DEI language is particularly concerning given the company’s outsized influence on AI development globally. Unlike other tech companies, OpenAI’s products directly shape how AI systems interact with humanity, making diverse perspectives in its development process critically important. The timing—amid a broader corporate retreat from DEI—suggests this may be more about political positioning than substantive changes to internal practices. However, the removal of language specifically acknowledging bias in AI systems is troubling, as it was one of the few explicit recognitions from a major AI company that diversity directly impacts product quality and fairness. This shift could embolden other AI companies to similarly deprioritize diversity efforts, potentially exacerbating existing problems with algorithmic bias and representation in AI development at a crucial moment when these technologies are becoming foundational to society.
Why This Matters
This development is particularly significant for the AI industry because OpenAI is one of the most influential companies shaping artificial intelligence’s future, and its approach to diversity directly impacts how AI systems are developed and deployed. The company’s previous DEI page specifically acknowledged the importance of addressing bias in AI systems—a critical concern as AI tools become increasingly integrated into decision-making processes affecting hiring, lending, healthcare, and criminal justice.
The removal of explicit DEI commitments raises questions about how OpenAI will address algorithmic bias and ensure diverse perspectives in developing technologies that affect billions of people globally. AI systems trained on biased data or developed by homogeneous teams risk perpetuating and amplifying existing societal inequalities.
This shift also signals a broader industry-wide retreat from public diversity commitments, potentially affecting talent recruitment and retention in a sector already struggling with representation issues. As AI becomes more powerful and pervasive, the lack of diverse voices in its development could have far-reaching consequences for fairness, equity, and the technology’s societal impact.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-dei-diversity-commitment-page-website-2025-2