OpenAI plans to nearly double its headcount this year, FT reports

(SeaPRwire) –   According to the Financial Times, OpenAI intends to nearly double its workforce by the end of 2026 as it aims to counter competition from firms like Anthropic PBC and Alphabet Inc.’s Google. 

The developer of AI assistant ChatGPT aims to boost its employee count from approximately 4,500 to around 8,000, the FT stated, citing two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the situation. The report noted that the new recruits will primarily be employed in product development, engineering, research, and sales. 

The newspaper further mentioned that OpenAI has leased additional office space in San Francisco to accommodate its expanding workforce, bringing its total presence in the city to over 1 million square feet. 

 OpenAI did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

These hiring plans are unfolding against the backdrop of a competition with rivals such as Anthropic and Microsoft Corp. to attract corporate clients through AI-powered coding assistants. 

Companies such as OpenAI have introduced several AI models capable of handling progressively complex tasks, ranging from analyzing corporate earnings reports to writing code and creating strikingly lifelike images and videos.

Last week, OpenAI disclosed intentions to acquire Astral, a startup that develops Python tools for developers. Earlier in March, it reached an agreement to purchase AI security startup Promptfoo, adding tools to test and secure AI agents prior to deployment. Last year, it acquired startups such as Software Applications Inc. and Neptune. 

Bloomberg reported that the company is also in advanced talks to establish a joint venture with private equity firms, including TPG Inc., Brookfield Asset Management, and Bain Capital, which would aim to enhance the adoption of its AI software.