In a development that has tech circles buzzing, OpenAI,best known for creating ChatGPT, is feeling the heat as Meta aggressively recruits some of the brightest minds in artificial intelligence.
And it’s not just a few hires.
According to internal reports and media outlets, Meta is offering jaw-dropping $100 million bonuses to lure OpenAI engineers. This has sparked a real battle for talent, with OpenAI scrambling to keep its top researchers from jumping ship.
“It feels like someone broke into our home,” said Mark Chen, Chief Research Officer at OpenAI, in an emotional Slack message to employees.
Chen also shared that the company is “working around the clock” to talk with employees who’ve received offers and is trying everything to hold on to them.
What’s Really Going On?
Meta, which already owns Facebook and Instagram, is going all-in on generative AI, the tech behind tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Sora.
Their latest move? Setting up a new team called Meta Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang, founder of Scale AI.Oh, and by the way, Meta also bought a 49% stake in Scale AI for over $14 billion last month. If you’re wondering why that’s such a big deal, Scale AI is one of the top companies that helps train AI models by labeling data. Basically, the fuel behind smarter machines.
Why Meta Is Making These Moves
Meta’s current AI model, Llama, is trailing behind in some areas, especially in coding capabilities. So, Mark Zuckerberg is now personally leading the charge to build AI that goes beyond human intelligence (yes, “superintelligence”). And he’s not shy about it.
“This is the beginning of a new era for humanity,” he wrote in an internal memo, confirmed by Bloomberg.
From OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever to Google’s Perplexity AI and the video-focused startup Runway, Meta seems to be targeting every name making noise in the AI space.
Reactions Are… Mixed
Not everyone is convinced this hiring spree will work.
Tech blogger Zvi Moshowitz called Meta’s approach a little too “mercenary,” adding that having top talent doesn’t matter if no one wants to work on the company’s products.
“I don’t expect it to work… but I suppose Llama will suck less,” he said.
Meanwhile, investors are getting nervous about the billions Meta is spending with no short-term return. With Meta’s valuation approaching $2 trillion, there’s growing concern over how these bold moves will affect cash flow and advertising revenue.
Still, industry experts like Angelo Zino of CFRA believe these are long-term investments.
“You need those people now if you want to be ready for what’s coming in AI,” Zino said.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about two tech giants. It’s about where AI is heading next, who gets to lead that direction, and how quickly it happens.
Whether you’re into marketing, social media, or simply tracking the latest updates in tech, this tug-of-war over talent is a sign: Generative AI is no longer the future, it’s the now.
And everyone wants in.Stay tuned to AdChronicle for more trending news, updates, and real-time insights on what’s shaking up the world of AI, marketing, and social media.
