Just a day before Openai unveiled its latest AI model, GPT-5, CEO Sam Altman shared an unexpected announcement in the company’s Slack. The message? Certain technical teams would be getting a “special one-time award.”
As per a report by The Verge, Sam Altman said the bonus was aimed at groups like applied engineering, scaling, and safety. These are related to the areas critical to building and deploying advanced AI systems. He framed it as a response to “movement in the market” for AI talent, hinting at how competitive the hiring landscape has become.
OpenAI Bonus: Who Gets What
It must be noted that not everyone at Openai is getting this bonus. Around one-third of the workforce, which is roughly 1,000 employees, is eligible to get the special bonus, the report added. The payouts vary significantly as the top researchers could see single-digit millions over the next two years, while engineers are set for bonuses in the hundreds of thousands. The report suggests that the payments will be made quarterly, and recipients can choose cash, Openai stock, or a mix of both.
The timing is also special, as this announcement came amid a wave of high-profile departures. In recent weeks, Meta has hired several of Openai’s leading minds, including Shengjia Zhao, one of ChatGPT’s original creators, who is now Meta’s chief scientist.
Altman has also faced poaching attempts from Elon Musk’s Xai and former Openai Cto Mira Murati’s new startup, Thinking Machines. Internally, some executives have compared Meta’s hiring spree to a “home invasion,” while Altman has reassured his teams with the line: “missionaries will beat mercenaries.”
Celebrating GPT-5 Model
Despite the brewing competition, the GPT-5 launch went smoothly and quietly, thanks to early access being limited to a handful of AI influencers under NDA. After the launch event, Altman even joined employees for a celebratory happy hour in San Francisco.
The bonuses may not stop the poaching entirely, but they send a clear message, Openai is willing to invest heavily to keep its top talent in-house.
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