Archive — US — techcrunch
Sam Altman says Meta tried and failed to poach OpenAI’s talent with $100M offers
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly attempted to recruit AI talent from OpenAI and Google DeepMind with offers exceeding $100M, but OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman confirmed these efforts have largely failed, as employees prioritize their mission over high compensation. Altman emphasized the importance of innovation and hinted at OpenAI's plans for an AI-powered social media app, indicating ongoing competition in AI development.
Key points
- Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, offered over $100M to recruit top AI talent from OpenAI and Google DeepMind.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that these recruitment efforts have not succeeded and highlighted that employees prefer OpenAI's culture and mission.
- Altman believes that true innovation is crucial for success in AI and criticized Meta's focus on compensation over mission.
- Meta's failed attempts to poach talent included Noam Brown from OpenAI and Koray Kavukcuoglu from Google.
- OpenAI plans to release an open AI model and explore an AI-powered social media app, aiming to compete directly with Meta.
- Meta must continue building its AI team while facing competition from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind.
Why it matters
- The rivalry between major tech companies like Meta and OpenAI reflects broader trends in AI development and talent acquisition.
- Historically, significant investments in personnel and technology have played critical roles in shaping industry leaders in tech.
- As of 2025, many firms are focusing on innovation beyond AI, emphasizing cultural elements to attract and retain talent.
The intense competition for AI talent exemplified by Meta's tactics and OpenAI's resilience underscores the critical role of innovation and culture in the tech industry, particularly as both companies strive to redefine social media and intelligence.