Some OpenAI engineers make as much as $800,000

Some OpenAI engineers make as much as $800,000, per BI.

OpenAI has reinstated its Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman, following a situation where hundreds of employees threatened to quit over his removal. This incident underscores the significant leverage held by highly valued tech workers in the industry. Artificial intelligence engineers, in particular, earn 8% to 12.5% more than their non-AI counterparts.

OpenAI's website lists a common salary range of $200,000 to $370,000 for engineering roles, with some specialized positions advertising ranges from $300,000 to $450,000.

Given the scarcity of talent in emerging technologies like AI, experienced individuals in this field are crucial to a company's success. The threat of an exodus at OpenAI demonstrated the exceptional power of its employees to influence the company's board. Retaining such skilled workers is vital, as training or recruiting replacements is challenging, and the specialized knowledge of current employees is invaluable.

OpenAI staff, facing Altman's removal, already had job offers, including the option to join Microsoft's new AI research lab, which has a significant stake in OpenAI.