Tech Giants Seek to Hire OpenAI Employees

Amid the turmoil at OpenAI, several other tech giants have made attempts to hire away the artificial intelligence (AI) firm’s employees.

Microsoft, Salesforce, NVIDIA and Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) are among the companies that have reached out to the employees, Cointelegraph reported Tuesday (Nov. 21), citing offers posted by company executives on social media.

These efforts come as OpenAI is facing an uncertain future following the controversial ouster of its former CEO and co-founder, Sam Altman, according to the report.

The decision has led to a significant backlash from employees, with many threatening to walk out unless the ousting is reversed, the report said. Some OpenAI employees, including Ilya Sutskever, the sole remaining co-founder on the board of directors, have signed a letter expressing their intent to walk out if Altman is not reinstated.

In response to the unrest, executives from major tech organizations have extended job offers to OpenAI employees considering leaving, per the report. For example, Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott and Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff have both pledged in social media posts to match the compensation of any OpenAI employees seeking new opportunities.

Additionally, team leaders at NVIDIA and FAIR have actively solicited resumes and expressed their willingness to place former OpenAI employees within their respective divisions, according to the report.

Some speculation suggests that one possible scenario could involve a larger company, such as Microsoft, hiring all available OpenAI employees, effectively leading to a hostile takeover, the report said. This hypothetical situation could result in OpenAI being acquired for a fraction of its actual value.

OpenAI has experienced highs over the past year, with the successful launch of its ChatGPT product and a reported valuation of $86 billion. However, Altman’s sudden removal Friday (Nov. 17) has thrown the company into chaos.

OpenAI’s board, along with interim CEO Emmett Shear, is currently engaged in intense discussions with employees and stakeholders in an attempt to find a resolution, the report said.

In the meantime, it was reported Monday (Nov. 20) that Altman and former OpenAI President Greg Brockman will be joining Microsoft to lead a new AI research team at that company.

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