favicon

T4K3.news

Meta attempts to lure OpenAI talent with $100 million offers

Sam Altman confirms no top OpenAI employees accepted Meta's offers during a podcast.

June 18, 2025 at 06:57 AM
blur OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Claims That Meta Tried To Poach Talent With $100 Million Signing Bonuses, But The Chief Executive Says That ‘None Of Our Best People’ Have Taken The Offer

Sam Altman discusses Meta's attempts to lure OpenAI talent with large bonuses.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Rejects Meta's $100 Million Talent Offers

In a recent podcast, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman revealed that Meta tried to attract his company's employees using offers exceeding $100 million. Altman stated that these attempts were unsuccessful, as none of OpenAI's top talent accepted Meta's offers. He shared that his team believes OpenAI is on a better path toward achieving Accelerated General Intelligence compared to Meta. Although Altman respects many aspects of Meta, he believes their focus on high salaries and recruiting talent does not foster a culture of innovation, which is crucial in the competitive AI field.

Key Takeaways

✔️
Meta targeted OpenAI employees with offers over $100 million.
✔️
None of OpenAI's top employees accepted Meta's offers.
✔️
Altman believes OpenAI is closer to achieving AGI than Meta.
✔️
The focus on high salaries could undermine innovation culture.

"None of our best people took the offer."

Altman emphasizes that OpenAI's core team remains loyal despite lucrative offers.

"Meta is not great at innovation."

Altman critiques Meta's approach to attracting talent without fostering genuine innovation.

Altman's comments highlight a growing trend in the technology sector where companies aggressively compete for AI talent. The willingness to offer such high signing bonuses raises questions about the value placed on innovation versus simple financial incentives. OpenAI's confidence in its mission serves as a strong buffer against poaching attempts, but ongoing competition could shift the balance if one company successfully cultivates a stronger innovative environment than the other. This talent war reflects the broader urgency within the tech industry to secure the brightest minds in an increasingly critical field.

Highlights

  • Faith in mission beats money every time.
  • Innovation thrives where talent is nurtured.
  • $100 million is not enough to buy conviction.
  • Culture over cash defines top talent.

Talent competition raises concerns

The aggressive tactics used by companies to attract top talent may lead to a focus on financial incentives over innovation. This could harm the overall culture in the tech community, creating uncertainty about sustaining genuine innovation efforts.

The race for AI talent may shape the future of the industry significantly.

Enjoyed this? Let your friends know!

Related News