# Why OpenAI Is Trying to Silence Its Critics (with Tyler Johnston) Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471/why-openai-is-trying-to-silence-its-critics-with-tyler-johnston Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471/why-openai-is-trying-to-silence-its-critics-with-tyler-johnston.md Podcast: [Future of Life Institute Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471) Published: 2025-11-27T13:58:06+00:00 Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d4ed41d7 Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/d4ed41d7/f7469f39.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471/episodes/why-openai-is-trying-to-silence-its-critics-with-tyler-johnston Duration seconds: 3680 ## Resource Tyler Johnston is Executive Director of the Midas Project. He joins the podcast to discuss AI transparency and accountability. We explore applying animal rights watchdog tactics to AI companies, the OpenAI Files investigation, and OpenAI's subpoenas against nonprofit critics. Tyler discusses why transparency is crucial when technical safety solutions remain elusive and how public pressure can effectively challenge much larger companies. LINKS: The Midas Project Website Tyler Johnston's LinkedIn Profile CHAPTERS: ( 00:00 ) Episode Preview ( 01:06 ) Introducing the Midas Project ( 05:01 ) Shining a Light on AI ( 08:36 ) Industry Lockdown and Transparency ( 13:45 ) The OpenAI Files ( 20:55 ) Subpoenaed by OpenAI ( 29:10 ) Responding to the Subpoena ( 37:41 ) The Case for Transparency ( 44:30 ) Pricing Risk and Regulation ( 52:15 ) Measuring Transparency and Auditing ( 57:50 ) Hope for the Future PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://podcast.futureoflife.org Twitter (FLI): https://x.com/FLI_org Twitter (Gus): https://x.com/gusdocker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-of-life-institute/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-rCCy3FQ-GItDimSR9lhzw/ Apple: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1170991978 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Op1WO3gwVwCrYHg4eoGyP ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471/episodes/why-openai-is-trying-to-silence-its-critics-with-tyler-johnston/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/future-of-life-institute-podcast-1112471/why-openai-is-trying-to-silence-its-critics-with-tyler-johnston.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.