OpenAI Responds to Meta AI Talent Poaching with $100M Offers, Retention Push

Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has aggressively pursued top AI researchers from OpenAI, reportedly offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million to at least four senior researchers to join its new superintelligence team. OpenAI's Chief Research Officer Mark Chen responded with a memo to staff describing the situation as feeling like a 'break-in' and promised that leadership, including CEO Sam Altman, is working intensively to retain talent through competitive compensation and creative rewards while maintaining fairness. The intense competition has led OpenAI to recalibrate compensation and implement support measures, acknowledging the heavy workload of employees who sometimes work up to 80 hours a week. This rivalry reflects a broader AI talent war that may influence global industry dynamics, driving up salaries in North America, causing talent shortages in Europe, and prompting increased local investment in Asia-Pacific. Despite OpenAI's efforts, Meta continues to ramp up recruitment aggressively, highlighting the escalating stakes in the AI research landscape. The ongoing battle raises questions about future collaboration and fragmentation in AI innovation worldwide.