OpenAI leadership addressed employee concerns regarding recent researcher departures to Meta, with a focus on retention efforts and compensation adjustments.
According to Wired, Chief Research Officer Mark Chen communicated to team members via a Slack memo, stating, “I feel a visceral feeling right now, as if someone has broken into our home and stolen something.” This statement conveyed his reaction to the situation. Chen also indicated that company leadership had not “been standing idly by.”
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Chen further detailed that he, along with CEO Sam Altman and other OpenAI leaders, have been engaged in discussions with employees who have received offers from other companies. He noted their efforts have been “around the clock to talk to those with offers.” As part of these retention initiatives, Chen specified that OpenAI is “recalibrating comp” and actively “scoping out creative ways to recognize and reward top talent.” He characterized these actions as being “more proactive than ever before.”
Recent press reports have indicated that eight researchers departed OpenAI to join Meta within the past week. Sam Altman publicly commented on the competitive hiring environment during a podcast appearance, asserting that Meta was offering “$100 million signing bonuses.” Meta executives have internally disputed Altman’s characterization of these signing bonuses.
