Today we're talking about the war for AI talent. Right now, the hottest job market on the planet is for AI researchers. And the vast majority of these people are concentrated into a small number of hugely valuable, extremely fast-growing companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, most of which are now paying some of the highest salaries in the history of tech to poach from one another.
We’ve been dying to really dig in and try to unpack what's going on with all these talent moves in AI. So we brought on Verge senior AI reporter Hayden Field, who's been covering the revolving door of the AI industry really closely and also the broader culture that's motivating workers to jump ship. 

Links: 
<ul>
 <li>What’s behind the mass exodus at xAI? | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/878761/mass-exodus-at-xai-grok-elon-musk-restructuring">The Verge</a>
</li>
 <li>OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger is joining OpenAI | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/879623/openclaw-founder-peter-steinberger-joins-openai">The Verge</a>
</li>
 <li>Two more xAI co-founders leave after the SpaceX merger | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/877609/two-more-xai-co-founders-are-among-those-leaving-after-the-spacex-merger">The Verge</a>
</li>
 <li>AI safety leader says 'world is in peril' and quits to study poetry | <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62dlvdq3e3o">BBC</a>
</li>
 <li>OpenAI is making the mistakes Facebook made. I quit. | <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/opinion/openai-ads-chatgpt.html">NYT</a>
</li>
 <li>Anthropic’s chief on AI: ‘We don’t know if the models are conscious’ | <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/opinion/artificial-intelligence-anthropic-amodei.html">NYT</a>
</li>
 <li>Meet the one woman Anthropic trusts to teach AI morals | <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anthropic-amanda-askell-philosopher-ai-3c031883?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfXBfeXgO6fBo8JzOvVyIAMRD4uJgMSTYfUJ7_V36uoSk3m261FNmUyni-zh-A%3D&gaa_ts=699495e0&gaa_sig=c_fHBU1lpTV-fL9dy8w6OOyhM8T1v43D-KngyDMAwuvaO5My3Iqnuq733uDOnmUFikrex1LBLElsbS0wXaUZqw%3D%3D">WSJ</a>
</li>
 <li>OpenAI plans fourth-quarter IPO in race to beat Anthropic to market | <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openai-ipo-anthropic-race-69f06a42">WSJ</a>
</li>
</ul>
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Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane. 
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