OpenAI is facing significant internal and external challenges regarding its stance on AI safety and regulation, including a major exodus of AGI safety researchers. Critics like former employees Daniel Kokotajlo and William Saunders have expressed concerns over the company's shift towards commercialization and its opposition to California's SB 1047 bill, which mandates rigorous safety evaluations for AI technologies. OpenAI argues that such regulations should be federally managed to avoid stifling innovation and driving talent out of California. Senator Scott Wiener, who introduced the bill, criticizes OpenAI's opposition as unfounded and emphasizes that the bill applies to all companies operating in the state. The debate highlights a broader conflict between the need for stringent AI safety measures and the tech industry's push for less restrictive, unified federal regulations.