OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has claimed that Meta attempted to poach key OpenAI employees by offering them signing bonuses of up to $100 million.
Speaking on the Unsupervised podcast hosted by his brother, Jack Altman, the CEO said the offers were “really big, like huge, like $25, $50, $100 million.” Despite the staggering sums, Altman said none of the OpenAI staff accepted Meta’s offers.
Altman used the moment to critique Meta’s approach to innovation, saying that while he respects many things about the company, he doesn’t view it as one that excels at breakthrough ideas. “A ton of upfront, guaranteed comp … I don’t think that’s going to set up a great culture,” he added.
In his critique, Altman acknowledged Meta’s aggressive hiring push but questioned its innovation credentials: “many things I respect about Meta … but I don’t think they’re a company that’s great at innovation”
The allegation underscores the intensifying battle for top AI talent among tech giants, as companies race to dominate the fast-moving artificial intelligence space.
Meta has not responded publicly to the claims.
