OpenAI has terminated an employee for allegedly using non-public company information to place trades on prediction markets, the company confirmed to Wired. According to a spokesperson, the employee’s actions violated internal policies that prohibit the use of confidential information for personal benefit, including on platforms that allow wagers on real-world events.
While OpenAI did not disclose the identity of the employee, the company stated that the individual used sensitive internal information in connection with trades made on prediction markets such as Polymarket. The spokesperson emphasized that company rules clearly bar employees from leveraging insider knowledge for financial gain.
Prediction markets, including Polymarket and Kalshi, enable users to speculate on the outcomes of future events by buying and selling contracts tied to specific scenarios. These events range from political developments to corporate milestones. On Polymarket, for example, users are currently placing bets on what products OpenAI might announce in 2026 and the timing of a potential initial public offering.
Such platforms have drawn increased attention in recent years due to the substantial sums that can be won. In a recent case reported by the publication, an accountant earned $470,300 on Kalshi by betting against proponents of the cryptocurrency DOGE.
Operators of prediction markets maintain that they are not gambling platforms but rather financial exchanges facilitating event-based contracts. Kalshi, in particular, operates as a regulated exchange in the United States. Earlier this week, Kalshi reportedly fined and banned an editor associated with MrBeast over alleged insider trading activity.
OpenAI did not immediately provide further comment beyond confirming the termination. The incident highlights the growing scrutiny surrounding prediction markets and the potential legal and ethical risks when employees with access to sensitive corporate information participate in such platforms. As interest in event-based trading continues to expand, companies are likely to reinforce compliance policies to prevent misuse of proprietary data.
