Sam Altman Says Meta Offered OpenAI Staff $100M Bonuses Amid AI Talent War
It seems that Meta has intensified its efforts to poach top AI talent from OpenAI, offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a recent interview. Speaking on the Uncapped podcast hosted by his brother, Altman claimed Meta has been targeting his team with massive compensation packages in an attempt to bolster its AI division.
“They’ve offered a lot of people $100 million bonuses,” Altman said. “So far none of our best people have decided to take them up on that.”
The revelation comes amid Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s high-stakes push to expand the company’s AI capabilities. Meta recently hired Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang following a $14.3 billion deal that granted Meta a 49% stake in the startup. Wang is now reportedly leading Meta’s new “superintelligence” lab.
Zuckerberg Personally Leading AI Recruitment Efforts
According to Bloomberg, Zuckerberg has taken a direct role in the company’s AI hiring strategy, including the recent recruitment of Jack Rae, a principal researcher from Google DeepMind. The Meta chief is reportedly frustrated with the company’s current position in the AI race and is investing billions to close the gap.
Altman, however, questioned the long-term efficacy of Meta’s recruitment strategy. “Guaranteed large compensation can distract from the mission,” he said. “Copying OpenAI rarely works. It doesn’t build a culture of innovation — you’re always chasing someone else’s past.”
Delays and Doubts Surround Meta’s AI Models
Meta has faced recent hurdles, including a delay in releasing its latest flagship AI model, reportedly due to concerns over its capabilities. Despite setbacks, Meta continues to invest in its Llama series of open-source large language models, which have served as a foundation for many third-party AI applications.
Still, not all analysts agree with the view that Meta is lagging. Daniel Newman, CEO of Futurum Group, told CNBC that Meta has been instrumental in the growth of open-source AI. “They basically built the rails for open source AI development,” Newman said. “Their continued investments — like the ScaleAI deal — are a sign they’re playing the long game.”
OpenAI’s Countermoves and Industry Trends
While Meta ramps up hiring efforts, OpenAI has been active in expanding its own capabilities. The company recently acquired io, the AI device startup founded by former Apple design head Jony Ive, in a $6.4 billion equity deal.
As AI firms continue to compete for top-tier talent, the battle between Meta and OpenAI illustrates the high stakes and strategic importance of human capital in shaping the next generation of AI systems.
