OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has alleged that Meta Platforms offered signing bonuses as high as $100 million to OpenAI employees in an attempt to recruit top talent, underscoring the intensifying competition among tech firms for artificial intelligence expertise.
Speaking on the Uncapped podcast, hosted by his brother, Altman said Meta had been making what he described as “giant offers” to several members of his team.
“You know, like $100 million signing bonuses, more than that in compensation per year,” he said.
While Altman noted that “none of our best people have decided to take them up on that,” the offers reflect the growing trend of AI engineers and researchers being pursued with compensation packages comparable to those of elite athletes or entertainers.
Meta has not commented publicly on the claim, and Reuters could not independently verify the reported offers.
Altman added: “I've heard that Meta thinks of us as their biggest competitor,” framing the rivalry as part of a broader race among tech companies to dominate the rapidly advancing AI landscape.
The remarks come shortly after Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, a leading data-labeling startup, and brought on its CEO, Alexandr Wang, to head Meta’s newly formed superintelligence unit. This strategic shift highlights Meta's efforts to accelerate development and catch up with major players like OpenAI and Google in the generative AI space.
Meta, once a front-runner in open-source Artificial Intelligence, has recently faced internal challenges, including staff turnover and delays in rolling out new models intended to compete with those from OpenAI, Google, and China’s DeepSeek.
The surge in demand for elite AI talent, combined with massive investment inflows, is reshaping the landscape of the tech industry and raising the stakes for companies seeking to lead in artificial general intelligence and superintelligence development.
The Agreement between the Governments of Azerbaijan and the Maldives, which exempts holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports from visa requirements, officially takes effect on June 18, 2025.
The 7th International Music Festival “World of Mugham” opened with a grand ceremony at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on June 17, uniting artists and scholars from over 25 countries.
The second day of the annual June Climate Meetings in Bonn focused on preparations for the upcoming COP30 conference.
Leaders from China and five Central Asian nations convene in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the Second China–Central Asia Summit (June 16–18, 2025).
South Korea and Japan have agreed to deepen their cooperation with the United States in addressing regional security challenges, including North Korea, during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, according to local media reports.
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee is under scrutiny following revelations that she used a secure presidential phone line to speak with a top aide just weeks before being questioned in a major stock price manipulation and bribery probe.
The Agreement between the Governments of Azerbaijan and the Maldives, which exempts holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports from visa requirements, officially takes effect on June 18, 2025.
The 7th International Music Festival “World of Mugham” opened with a grand ceremony at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on June 17, uniting artists and scholars from over 25 countries.
The second day of the annual June Climate Meetings in Bonn focused on preparations for the upcoming COP30 conference.
Leaders from China and five Central Asian nations convene in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the Second China–Central Asia Summit (June 16–18, 2025).
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has cancelled certain flights scheduled for 13th and 14th June amid recent escalation of situation in the Middle East and the closure of airspace in several countries for security reasons.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The Trump Organization has unveiled "Trump Mobile," a $499 smartphone and wireless service aimed at conservative consumers, marking its entry into the highly competitive telecom market.
Scientists at the South China University of Technology have engineered a new ceramic material that pushes the boundaries of heat resistance, a development with major implications for hypersonic flight, rocket engines, and energy production.
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has announced a landmark shift in its electoral process, declaring that the general elections scheduled for mid-2026 will be conducted using a fully digital system.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has announced Finland's ambition to host a European AI gigafactory. The move aims to boost national growth by building on the success of the LUMI supercomputer, with telecommunications giant Nokia poised to lead the project's business consortium.
British scientists have built more than 3,800 digital replicas of human hearts using AI and clinical data, aiming to revolutionize diagnosis, correct medical bias, and improve patient care.
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee is under scrutiny following revelations that she used a secure presidential phone line to speak with a top aide just weeks before being questioned in a major stock price manipulation and bribery probe.
The Agreement between the Governments of Azerbaijan and the Maldives, which exempts holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports from visa requirements, officially takes effect on June 18, 2025.
The 7th International Music Festival “World of Mugham” opened with a grand ceremony at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on June 17, uniting artists and scholars from over 25 countries.
The second day of the annual June Climate Meetings in Bonn focused on preparations for the upcoming COP30 conference.
Leaders from China and five Central Asian nations convene in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the Second China–Central Asia Summit (June 16–18, 2025).
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