Hello everyone, I'm Tak@, a system integrator. In my spare time, I enjoy developing web services using generative AI.

Today, let's dive into a hot topic in the AI industry: its background and how it might impact our work.

AI technology is advancing at an incredible pace, and new AI-powered services are popping up everywhere. But did you know that behind the scenes, a fierce talent war is raging at the forefront of this technology? A recent major headline was about Meta, the social media giant, attempting to poach top engineers from OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, with an astronomical offer of $100 million – an amount that truly shattered conventional wisdom.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed this shocking fact, but what's even more surprising is that many of OpenAI's key talents rejected this unprecedented offer. This whole saga highlights just how crucial a company's culture and mission have become in the modern AI industry, far outweighing mere financial power.

Huge Offers, Yet Talent Stays Put

Meta's offer of a staggering $100 million, plus an even higher annual salary, to OpenAI employees sent shockwaves throughout the AI industry. This clearly shows Meta's intense determination to accelerate its AI development and catch up to, or even surpass, its competitors. Sam Altman himself stated that Meta views OpenAI as its "biggest competitor."

The value of talent in the AI field is immeasurable. McKinsey & Company, a leading consulting firm, estimates that generative AI could generate an additional $200 billion to $340 billion annually for the banking industry, and up to $660 billion annually for the retail and consumer goods sectors. If a handful of top AI talents can improve an algorithm by just 1.2%, it could impact billions of dollars in revenue. So, it's no wonder companies are willing to "pay any amount of money" to acquire them.

However, Sam Altman noted, "So far, none of our top talent has taken [Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's] offer." What does this mean? It seems that a high salary alone wasn't enough to sway them.

Why OpenAI Employees Chose Their "Place"

The reason OpenAI employees turned down Meta's extravagant offer likely stems from the unique corporate culture OpenAI has fostered over many years. As Sam Altman points out, Meta's "money-first" approach is seen as incompatible with a culture that fosters true creativity.

A major draw for top talent at OpenAI is its ambitious goal of achieving AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). This isn't just about pursuing profit; it's about contributing to a larger "purpose" that could redefine humanity's future. OpenAI's sincere commitment to ethical AI development is also a key reason researchers stay. The company's emphasis on societal impact over commercial success seems particularly appealing to many brilliant minds.

Furthermore, OpenAI cultivates a collaborative environment where employees feel a sense of ownership over their projects. They see themselves not just as organizational members, but as "co-creators" shaping the future of AI. This environment leads to high employee satisfaction and, consequently, high retention rates. In fact, rival Anthropic's impressive 80% engineer retention rate surpasses OpenAI (78%), DeepMind (67%), and Meta (64%), demonstrating the importance of culture and flexible work. OpenAI also boasts a high retention rate, second only to Anthropic, further proving that value beyond money retains talent.

AI Industry Talent Strategy: Culture is Key

The AI talent acquisition battle has moved beyond simply offering high salaries. For companies to maintain a competitive edge, the ability to retain top engineers long-term and strategically deploy their overall workforce has become critically important.

The Limits of a "Money-First" Strategy

Meta's strategy was clearly a "money-no-object" approach, but OpenAI's case suggests it's not a universal recipe for success. While Meta has certainly secured renowned talents like Scale AI's Alexandr Wang and DeepMind's Jack Rae, some argue that the results of their AI products haven't fully met market expectations. The market also seems skeptical of the return on investment (ROI) of Meta's AI strategy, with reports of stagnant stock prices despite massive AI investments.

This aligns with the words of a venture capitalist: even if you provide a luxury car, you won't win the race without a driver who believes in the team's vision and is wholeheartedly committed to contributing. In the AI field, true competitiveness comes not just from technical prowess or financial power, but from the hearts of the people driving it and the purpose they share.

OpenAI's "Capped-Profit Model" and Its Effectiveness

One unique mechanism supporting OpenAI's corporate culture is its "capped-profit model." This literally sets a cap on profits, focusing on long-term creativity and fostering a fair AI environment rather than short-term financial gains.

This model encourages employees to pursue big ideas and take bold risks without worrying about immediate monetization. As someone who develops AI tools as a hobby, the pure desire for "a tool like this would be so useful" is a major driving force, rather than profit. I once accidentally dropped a handheld terminal on the floor while explaining a system to a librarian, which ironically helped demonstrate its robustness – unexpected events can also create value.

This "capped-profit model" also seems effective in talent acquisition. It attracts individuals who not only seek high salaries but also resonate with the organization's goals and mission, desiring to contribute to AI's advancement. Employees are positioned not just as organizational members but as "co-founders" shaping the future of AI. This culture, which prioritizes continuous learning and growth, makes OpenAI an appealing workplace.

Furthermore, this model is deeply linked to the concept of "equity compensation." By capping profits, the philosophy is to share the fruits of success not only with shareholders but also broadly with the employees who made that success possible. This is believed to enhance employees' sense of ownership and encourage investment in the organization's long-term growth.

Changes in AI Industry "Work Styles" and Investment Perspectives

The AI talent war is also driving changes across the entire labor market. Specific regions are emerging as AI hubs, and required roles are shifting.

Geographical Reshaping and New Roles Needed

For example, cities like Miami and San Diego are emerging as new AI hubs in the US. Miami has seen a 12% increase in AI-related job postings, and San Diego has seen a 7% increase in job postings from major tech companies, likely due to the appeal of local lifestyle benefits and lower living costs. Conversely, in Austin and Houston, Texas, the widespread adoption of hybrid work models has led to a brain drain of startup talent, as traditional tech hubs are often preferred.

Changes in job descriptions are also notable. "MLOps Engineers" (specialists in deploying and operating machine learning models) have seen demand surge 9.8 times over the past five years, making it one of the fastest-growing job titles. Also, engineers with versatile skills in using AI tools like "Copilot" are starting to replace those specialized in narrow fields, indicating a growing corporate emphasis on versatility. Companies strong in AI governance, ethics, and MLOps are likely to drive future growth.

Mass Layoffs and the AI Hiring "Paradox"

In 2024, US tech companies saw massive layoffs of approximately 95,000 people, with Microsoft alone cutting 6,000 jobs. However, the AI sector is booming, with companies like OpenAI and NVIDIA continuing to expand their teams. This may seem contradictory, but it suggests that AI is not just a temporary economic cycle but a structural change that is fundamentally transforming the very meaning of "work."

For instance, entry-level positions have decreased by 50% since 2019, forcing recent graduates to seek experience through bootcamps, open-source projects, or equity-based roles. However, this also creates new opportunities for educational platforms like "AI bootcamps" and network-based startups that attract talent through equity compensation.

What Investors Should Watch For

These trends offer important insights for investors:

• Companies with high talent retention rates: Companies like OpenAI and NVIDIA, with strong retention of top talent, are more likely to outperform competitors. Low talent turnover indicates stable development capabilities and sustained competitiveness.
• Companies adaptable to geographical and role changes: It might be wise to look at companies expanding their operations in new AI hubs like Miami and San Diego, or those hiring for growth areas like MLOps and AI governance.
• Companies leading in core AI technologies: Companies like NVIDIA, which hold an advantage in hardware and are forging partnerships with AI labs, are likely to expand their influence further. The presence of companies supporting the foundation of AI development is crucial from a long-term perspective.
• Platforms utilizing equity compensation: Startups that attract talent, especially younger or less experienced individuals, through equity compensation could disrupt traditional recruitment markets.

Companies that cling to "physical office setups" and fail to adapt to flexible hybrid work models, or those that rely solely on narrow specializations, may face challenging times ahead.

The Value of "Spirit" in the AI Era

As AI technology becomes deeply embedded in our society, I believe that a company's most important asset is not just advanced algorithms, but the "human wisdom and spirit" that creates, nurtures, and shapes the future.

Meta's movie-like offer of massive contracts clearly demonstrated the immeasurable market value of top AI talent. However, the fact that many OpenAI employees rejected these offers highlights the immense power of "corporate culture" and "sense of purpose" in modern business – things money simply can't buy.

AI has the potential to go beyond being just a convenient tool; it can profoundly transform how humanity works, lives, and the very fabric of society. That's why the "shared purpose" and "passion and spirit" with which those involved in its development approach their daily research and development will be a crucial factor in determining the direction of future technology.

This perspective resonates with our own daily work and learning. Having a clear sense of "why" we're doing something, for every challenge and task, can serve as an invaluable guide for us to live authentically and contribute value to society in a world constantly changing with AI's remarkable progress.

This fierce AI talent war transcends mere inter-company business competition. It poses fundamental questions to modern businesses and organizations: What values should they uphold? How should they engage with their employees? And how can they truly capture their hearts? I am convinced that companies that can powerfully answer these questions not just with immediate profits, but with "culture" and "purpose," will be the ones that lead this era and make a significant impact on society.

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