What’s going on?
OpenAI is in a bit of a scramble right now.
Over the past week, Meta (yes, Facebook’s parent company) has reportedly hired eight top researchers from OpenAI. These aren’t junior employees — they’re some of the sharpest minds behind cutting-edge AI work.
Naturally, OpenAI leadership isn’t thrilled.
“It feels like someone broke into our home”
That’s what Mark Chen, OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer, said in a Slack message to the team. He wrote:
“I feel a visceral feeling right now, as if someone has broken into our home and stolen something.”
It’s a strong reaction — and a pretty honest one. Losing team members hurts, especially when they’re key to your company’s future.
OpenAI isn’t staying quiet
Chen made it clear that he, CEO Sam Altman, and other execs haven’t just sat back and watched this happen.
They’re now:
- Talking directly to team members who got offers from other companies
- Rethinking compensation packages
- Coming up with better ways to reward and recognize top performers
They’re calling it a “recalibration” — basically, a reset to make sure the best minds want to stick around.
Is Meta really offering $100 million to researchers?
Here’s where things get even more intense.
Altman recently said on a podcast that Meta has been offering up to $100 million as signing bonuses to poach AI talent. That’s a jaw-dropping number.
But Meta isn’t exactly confirming that. Internally, some Meta execs are saying those numbers aren’t accurate. Still, even if the number is a bit inflated, it’s obvious that Meta is willing to pay big to grow its AI team.
Why it matters
This isn’t just about OpenAI and Meta.
It’s about how competitive the AI industry has become. Companies are fighting not just to build the best models, but to hire (and keep) the smartest people in the game.
And losing a key researcher doesn’t just hurt morale. It can slow down projects, leak know-how, and shift momentum to a rival.
So what’s OpenAI doing now?
To stop more people from leaving, OpenAI is:
- Reworking salaries to make them more attractive
- Being more proactive about keeping in touch with employees
- Creating new ways to reward people, not just with money but also recognition, flexibility, and growth opportunities
The goal is simple: make sure great people feel seen, valued, and excited to stay.
Final thoughts
The AI talent war is very real, and OpenAI is learning that the hard way. Meta made a bold move, and now OpenAI is responding with urgency.
At the end of the day, the companies that keep their talent happy will be the ones that stay ahead in the race for smarter, faster, and more powerful AI.
Quick Recap:
- Meta reportedly hired 8 top researchers from OpenAI.
- OpenAI execs say it feels like a major blow.
- The company is updating pay and offering better support to retain talent.
- Rumors say Meta offered massive bonuses — up to $100 million — to lure people in.
- The battle for AI talent is heating up fast.