Microsoft: we are ready to pay all OpenAI employees to join us

In a surprise move, Microsoft announced today that it is willing to pay any OpenAI employee who wants to join the tech giant a generous compensation package, including a signing bonus, stock options and a salary increase.

The offer comes as OpenAI, the nonprofit research organization co-founded by Elon Musk, faces criticism for its recent decision to shift to a hybrid structure that includes a for-profit arm.

Microsoft, que invirtió mil millones de dólares en OpenAI en 2019, dijo que está preocupado por la dirección y la visión de la organización y que quiere atraer a los mejores talentos en el campo de la inteligencia artificial. «Creemos que OpenAI ha perdido el rumbo y ya no está alineado con su misión original de crear y garantizar el uso seguro y beneficioso de la inteligencia artificial para la humanidad», afirmó Satya Nadella, director ejecutivo de Microsoft, en un comunicado de prensa. «Estamos dispuestos a pagar a todos los empleados de OpenAI que comparten nuestros valores y objetivos para que se unan a nosotros y trabajen en proyectos interesantes e impactantes que darán forma al futuro de la IA».

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but some of its employees expressed dismay and disappointment on social media. «This is a blatant attempt by Microsoft to steal our people and undermine our work,» tweeted Ilya Sutskever, chief scientist at OpenAI. «We are not for sale and will not give up on our vision.»

Others, however, seemed to be tempted by the offer. «I have to admit that this is a very generous and attractive offer,» tweeted Andrej Karpathy, OpenAI’s director of computer vision. «I love working at OpenAI, but I also have a family to support and a career to advance. I’m seriously considering it.»

Microsoft said it has already received several applications from OpenAI employees and expects more to follow. The company also said it will continue to support OpenAI as a partner and customer, but that it expects the organization to reconsider its strategy and governance. «We respect OpenAI’s autonomy and independence, but we also expect them to stay true to their original vision and values,» Nadella said. «We believe the best way to achieve this is by working together, not apart.»

Recent turmoil at OpenAI, one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence research organizations, has prompted a potential exodus of talent to Microsoft, its main sponsor and partner. According to a tweet from an anonymous source, Microsoft is ready to welcome any OpenAI employee who wants to join a new subsidiary that will continue the work of the original nonprofit.

This offer follows a shocking decision by OpenAI’s board of directors to remove Sam Altman, former president of Y Combinator and a prominent figure in the technology industry, as its chief executive officer last week. The board provided no clear reason for the move, which has caused widespread discontent and confusion among OpenAI staff.

In a show of solidarity and protest, hundreds of OpenAI employees, including senior leaders, signed an open letter demanding Altman’s reinstatement and the removal of current board members. The letter states that Altman was instrumental in shaping OpenAI’s vision, culture and impact, and that the board acted without consulting or informing staff.

«Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees in this new subsidiary should we decide to join,» said the letter, which has since been signed by 743 OpenAI employees out of 770. «We appreciate this gesture of support and trust. We look forward to continuing our work at OpenAI under Sam’s leadership and with a new board that reflects our values and goals.

The letter also expresses concern about the future of OpenAI projects and partnerships, especially those involving Microsoft. In 2019, Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI and agreed to provide it with access to its cloud computing platform, Azure. The two companies also collaborated on the development and implementation of large-scale artificial intelligence systems, such as GPT-3, a powerful natural language generator.

It is unclear how the current crisis will affect these collaborations and whether Microsoft will attempt to take over some of OpenAI’s assets or intellectual property. Some observers have speculated that Microsoft may have played a role in Altman’s dismissal as part of a strategy to gain more control over OpenAI’s research and direction.

However, both Microsoft and OpenAI have denied any involvement or interference from either party. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company respects OpenAI’s autonomy and independence and remains committed to supporting its mission and vision. An OpenAI spokesperson said the board’s decision was based on internal matters and had nothing to do with Microsoft or any outside party.

The situation at OpenAI is still evolving and uncertain as staff await a response from the board and consider their options. Some may decide to stay at OpenAI and await a resolution, while others may choose to join Microsoft or pursue other opportunities. Whatever the outcome, the fate of one of the world’s most influential and innovative AI organizations hangs in the balance.