Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has criticized Meta's aggressive hiring of top AI researchers, calling it "distasteful" and warning that it could lead to "deep cultural problems". Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has been recruiting top talent from OpenAI and other companies, including Anthropic and Google DeepMind, for its new Superintelligence Labs team, with compensation packages as high as $300 million over four years.
Altman believes that OpenAI's mission-driven culture is superior to Meta's approach, which he characterizes as mercenary. He emphasized that "missionaries will beat mercenaries", highlighting the importance of shared values and goals in driving innovation. According to Altman, OpenAI's quirky and innovative culture can't be replicated, and he praises the company's focus on building Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in a responsible way.
In contrast, Meta's goals are perceived as more short-term and trend-driven. Former Meta employees have echoed Altman's sentiments, criticizing Meta's constantly shifting priorities. OpenAI is reviewing compensation for its researchers to ensure fairness and retain top talent. Despite the challenges, Altman remains confident in OpenAI's research roadmap and investment in compute power, believing that the company's unique culture and mission will drive long-term success.
