Former OpenAI Researchers Confirm Meta Move, Debunk $100M Bonus Claims
Former OpenAI Researchers Confirm Meta Move, Debunk $100M Bonus Claims
Three prominent OpenAI engineers, Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai, have officially confirmed their departure from OpenAI to join Meta. However, Beyer has publicly refuted claims of a staggering $100 million signing bonus, labeling such reports as “fake news.”
The speculation around the exorbitant compensation packages was fueled by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman himself, who recently described offers to his team as “crazy” and mentioned “$100 million signing bonuses” during a podcast. Beyer took to X on Thursday, June 26, 2025, to clarify the situation, confirming the trio’s move to Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta while explicitly denying the nine-figure payout.
This high-profile talent acquisition underscores the intensifying competition for top AI expertise among tech giants. Beyer, Kolesnikov, and Zhai had previously joined OpenAI in December 2024 after being recruited from Google DeepMind, highlighting the continuous churn in the elite AI talent pool.
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