OpenAI is paying workers $1.5 million in stock-based compensation on average, the highest of any tech startup in history
The AI leader's massive equity grants could mint thousands of employee millionaires at IPO.
Deep Dive
OpenAI is compensating its roughly 4,000 employees with an average of $1.5 million in stock, the highest ever for a major tech startup. This comes as the company, valued at $830 billion, prepares for a potential IPO later this year. The unprecedented equity package is a strategic move to retain top AI talent in a fiercely competitive market, positioning employees for a massive financial windfall if the public offering succeeds.
Why It Matters
This intensifies the AI talent war, forcing other companies to radically rethink compensation to compete for top researchers and engineers.