OpenAI ups ante as pay tug-of-war continues for AI experts

OpenAI is reportedly changing its compensation approach, lifting pay for senior researchers, amidst heightened competition from the likes of Meta.

Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, earlier in June on a Podcast hosted by his brother Jack Altman commented that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta was offering leading AI experts $100 million signing bonuses as well as bumper salaries in a bid to win them over to join the Facebook and Instagram owner's AI push.

There has, since then, been some signs of a hiring merry-go-around across the emerging AI sector.

Now, according to a Tech Crunch report, citing a memo penned by OpenAI chief research officer Mark Chen, the ChatGPT owner has "been more proactive than ever before" and its leaders want to recalibrate compensation packages.

OpenAI is mulling ways to be creative in order to reward its top talent, the reported memo claimed.

At least eight researchers have reportedly left OpenAI for Meta in recent weeks.

Meta disputed the figures floated by Altman on his brother's podcast.