Microsoft and OpenAI are locked in a high-stakes battle to hoard artificial intelligence talent, with each company poaching engineers and researchers from the other. At the heart of this tug-of-war are OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and CTO Greg Brockman, two of tech's most coveted AI minds.

As Microsoft aggressively integrates OpenAI models like DALL-E into products, many core OpenAI team members have followed the technology to its new Redmond home. But OpenAI is fighting back, enticing key personnel to remain put with lavish perks and the promise of independence.

Microsoft Raids OpenAI, Opens Wallet to AI All-Stars

After investing $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, Microsoft began steadily plucking its talent. Redmond has poached at least 18 core OpenAI researchers and engineers, including prominent team leaders like Ian Goodfellow.

To stem the exodus, Microsoft is said to be offering multimillion-dollar contracts to AI luminaries Altman and Brockman. But the pair have rebuffed the overtures so far despite the potential paydays.

OpenAI Dangles Equity, Freedom to Keep Top Minds

With Brockman and Altman sticking around, OpenAI has managed to retain much of its talent core by allowing employees to work across both companies.

But to prevent further defections, especially among its specialized AI chip engineers, OpenAI is providing generous equity packages.

OpenAI is also selling workers on maintaining its startup culture of autonomy. Some see Microsoft's tight integration as threatening OpenAI's freewheeling innovation.

The Prize: Supremacy in Generative AI

Behind this talent tug-of-war lies a race to own the future of artificial intelligence, especially buzzy generative models like GPT-3 and DALL-E.

Access to the researchers and engineers building these cutting-edge systems confers enormous commercial advantage and prestige.

Both tech titans know AI talent will separate the leaders from the followers. So neither will back down in this bidding war for the brightest minds shaping AI's evolution.

Conclusion: An AI Arms Race With Deep Pockets

Microsoft and OpenAI's fight for talent supremacy reveals how crucial star researchers are to AI dominance. Each side is willing to pay generational wealth to stockpile human capital.

But ultimately victory will hinge less on big names than on who can construct the most creative culture and space for innovation. The company that builds the best incubator for AI achievement will lead this revolution.