OpenAI offers multimillion-dollar bonuses to key AI talent
In a significant move just a day before the highly anticipated launch of GPT-5, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a “special one-time award” for a select group of the company’s technical staff. The bonus, communicated via a Slack message to employees, is intended for researchers and software engineers across key departments, including applied engineering, scaling, and safety. Altman attributed the decision to “movement in the market” for artificial intelligence talent, signaling OpenAI’s commitment to competitive compensation as the company continues to grow.
While not extended to all staff, approximately 1,000 employees—roughly one-third of OpenAI’s full-time workforce—are set to qualify for these payouts. The specific amounts will vary based on an employee’s role and seniority. The most sought-after researchers, many of whom already earn multi-million dollar annual salaries, stand to receive bonuses in the mid-single-digit millions. Engineers, on average, can expect bonuses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. These awards will be disbursed quarterly over the next two years, with recipients having the flexibility to choose between OpenAI stock, cash, or a combination of both.
This unprecedented payout coincides with OpenAI’s preparations to allow more employees to cash out their vested stock. Altman has privately indicated expectations for a significantly higher share price than the $274 per share achieved in an earlier funding round this year, which valued the company at $300 billion. Reports suggest that a forthcoming tender offer could see OpenAI valued at an astounding $500 billion, underscoring the company’s rapid ascent and robust financial position. An OpenAI spokesperson declined to comment on the bonus initiative.
The decision to offer such substantial, targeted bonuses highlights the escalating and increasingly fierce competition for top-tier AI talent. OpenAI has recently faced notable departures, with key researchers joining rivals like Meta, where Shengjia Zhao, one of ChatGPT’s creators, was recently appointed chief scientist. Internally, OpenAI’s chief research officer, Mark Chen, reportedly likened Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recruitment efforts to a “home invasion,” while Altman has famously asserted that “missionaries will beat mercenaries” in the AI race. Beyond Meta, other formidable competitors are also aggressively vying for talent; Elon Musk’s xAI has reportedly made compelling offers, and former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has recruited several technical leaders from her former employer to establish her new rival lab, Thinking Machines.
While the “special” bonus aims to retain crucial expertise, the selective nature of the payout could inadvertently foster resentment among employees who worked tirelessly on recent launches but were not included. Nevertheless, the immediate aftermath of the buzzy GPT-5 release appears to have buoyed morale across the company. Following the Thursday launch event, Altman reportedly joined employees for a celebratory happy hour, underscoring a moment of collective achievement amidst the strategic maneuvers of the AI talent war.