OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, will pause its operations for a week as employees take a break after months of intense work. The decision comes as the firm faces mounting pressure from Meta, which is reportedly offering generous financial packages worth over $100 million to lure away OpenAI staff.
Only senior executives will remain on duty during the break, while the rest of the team is expected to step back and recharge. The pause is part of a broader shift within the company, which is now focusing more on long-term goals around artificial general intelligence (AGI) rather than immediate product launches.
Media reports suggest that OpenAI fears Meta may use the week-long break as an opportunity to poach its staff.
Recent reports suggest Meta has already recruited several OpenAI researchers, including those involved in core reasoning models. Among the high-profile departures are Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, Xiaohua Zhai, and Trapit Bansal who played a key role in the development of OpenAI’s o1 model.
In response to the talent drain, OpenAI is reassessing its compensation packages and looking for new ways to retain its top performers.
Altman attributes this loyalty to the team’s belief in OpenAI’s mission and its position at the forefront of AI development. Still, the growing competition in Silicon Valley’s AI sector has pushed the company to strengthen its internal strategy.