AI talent war: OpenAI scrambles to hike pay as top talent flees to Meta— Report

OpenAI leadership has launched an urgent internal effort to retain its top talent amid a wave of high-profile departures to Meta Platforms and intensifying competition in the AI sector, multiple technology outlets reported.

OpenAI, as per TechCrunch, is revising compensation packages to keep key researchers. In an internal memo sent June 28 and reviewed by Wired, Mark Chen, Chief Research Officer at OpenAI, described the situation: "It feels like someone is breaking into our house and stealing something."

Chen reportedly emphasised that the leadership team is taking decisive action, writing: "We are readjusting compensation and seeking creative ways to recognize and reward the best talent."

Meta's billion-dollar AI push

The urgency follows Meta’s aggressive campaign to poach OpenAI’s researchers as it builds its ambitious Superintelligence Lab. Also, According to The Information, Meta recently hired four more OpenAI researchers—Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren—and has already recruited Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai, who were based in OpenAI’s Zurich office, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Meta’s recruitment drive includes offers reportedly reaching $100 million per engineer, a figure that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called “crazy” in a podcast interview last week.

Eight senior researchers depart

In just weeks, at least eight senior OpenAI researchers have defected to Meta, raising concerns internally about both morale and project continuity.

CEO Altman: “We are not sitting idle”

OpenAI leaders are working overtime to counter the exodus. In his memo, Chen said that he, Altman, and others have been: “Working day and night to talk with those who received [recruitment] offers.”

Altman, speaking publicly, also reassured employees that the company will not be complacent as competitors escalate bidding wars.

Warnings about “exploding offers”

OpenAI management has cautioned staff to be wary of intense pressure and short-fuse job offers, particularly as some employees were approached during the company’s scheduled break.

Meta accelerates “Superintelligence” strategy

The clash between the companies is the latest front in the AI arms race. Earlier this month, Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, hiring its founder Alexandr Wang to lead superintelligence efforts, according to Bloomberg.

Mark Zuckerberg has described Meta’s goal as developing AI that can “surpass human capabilities,” underscoring the stakes in the battle for talent.