Big Money for Big AI: ChatGPT’s OpenAI trying to lure Google employees, offering up to Rs 83 cr

In a strategic move to bolster its position in the competitive AI landscape, OpenAI, the brains behind ChatGPT, is intensifying its talent acquisition efforts by targeting some of Google’s top researchers.

Reports from The Information reveal that OpenAI is employing an enticing approach, offering substantial compensation packages, including multimillion-dollar payouts, and access to cutting-edge tech resources such as AI accelerator chips for experimentation.

This aggressive recruitment strategy comes on the heels of OpenAI’s exploration of an employee share sale, aiming to value the company at a staggering $86 billion.

If successful, the compensation packages for the recruited talent could range from $5 million to an impressive $10 million,  or up to Rs 83 crores, building on the financial windfall from OpenAI’s share sale in April, which valued the company between $27 billion and $29 billion.

OpenAI’s success in attracting top talent from tech giants is evident, with notable hires from Google and Meta. The launch announcement for ChatGPT in November acknowledged five researchers with previous stints at Google.

As of February, OpenAI had brought in a total of 93 individuals from Google and Meta, emphasizing the company’s attractiveness to experienced professionals in the field.

To further strengthen its workforce, OpenAI has posted a job listing for a research engineer within its superalignment team, offering an annual salary ranging from $245,000 to $450,000.

The listing highlights “generous equity” and additional benefits as part of the total compensation package. Jan Leike, OpenAI’s head of super alignment, underscored the team’s commitment to aligning AI systems with human interests, expressing an active pursuit of research engineers, scientists, and managers passionate about AI safety, critical thinking, machine learning expertise, and coding proficiency.

Despite the increased activity, OpenAI has refrained from commenting on these developments. The escalating talent war between OpenAI and Google underscores the fierce competition within the AI industry, with both companies striving to attract top minds to drive innovation and advancements in artificial intelligence.