However, current and former OpenAI employees have been increasingly concerned about access to liquidity, according to interviews and documents shared internally. "We're incredibly sorry that we're only changing this language now," an OpenAI spokesperson told CNBC after the company changed course. In at least two tender offers, the sales limit for former employees was $2 million, compared to $10 million for current employees. In addition to current and former employees, OpenAI has a third tier for share sales that consists of ex-employees who now work at competitors. OpenAI said it's never canceled a current or former employee's vested equity or required a repurchase at $0.

---

Persons: Sam Altman, Jason Redmond, OpenAI, Slack, Siri, Ilya Sutskever, Jan Leike, Altman's, Sarah Friar, Larry Albukerk, Albukerk, CNBC they've, it's, Doug Brayley Organizations: Microsoft, AFP, Getty, CNBC, Apple, Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department, Nvidia, OpenAI, EB Exchange, Ropes & Gray Locations: Redmond , Washington, OpenAI, California