Last week, TechCrunch reported that Meta had hired influential OpenAI researcher Trapit Bansal, but that was the first of many moves.
More information shows four more hires have occurred, including researchers Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren.
One of the names is making waves on social media.
Jiahui Yu is going incredibly viral as reports state that he was traded from OpenAI to Meta in a historical deal.
— TBPN (@tbpn) June 30, 2025
This hiring spree came after the April launch of Meta’s Llama 4 AI models, which reportedly did not perform as well as CEO Mark Zuckerberg had hoped.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously suggested that their rival was offering “$100 million signing bonuses,” while adding that “so far, none of our best people” have left.
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CTO Andrew Bosworth reportedly told employees that while senior leaders may have been offered that kind of money, “the actual terms of the offer” were more complex than a simple one-time signing bonus.
How Social Media Responded To The Trade Between Meta And OpenAI
“I used to pray for the day nerds would be treated like athletes. The day’s finally here, and it’s fucking glorious,” one fan said of the historic trade.
i used to pray for the day nerds would be treated like athletes.
— vittorio (@IterIntellectus) June 30, 2025
the day’s finally here, and it’s fucking glorious https://t.co/vy1Pdx0yfn
“On the left is Ronaldo, Real Madrid spent $80M to sign him from Man United. On the right is Jiahui Yu, Meta paid 100M $ to sign him from OpenAI,” a second person pointed out.
On the left is Ronaldo, Real Madrid spent 80M $ to sign him from Man United
— 🦋/acc @ 🌲🎗️ (@selini0) June 30, 2025
On the right is Jiahui Yu, Meta paid 100M $ to sign him from OpenAI pic.twitter.com/Jtwxvrfxzx
“Meta just traded for four emerging stars, picking up OpenAI’s Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren, who are taking their talents to Meta. Jihaui Yu is expected to have an immediate impact coming off his All-NBA second team last season. Bi is expected to be waived,” a third person wrote.
Meta just traded for four emerging stars, picking up OpenAI’s Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren who are taking their talents to Meta. Jihaui Yu is expected to have an immediate impact coming off his All-NBA second team last season. Bi is expected to be waved. pic.twitter.com/ONq37kRmGh
— Mark Southall (@marksouthall_) July 1, 2025
“AI Free Agency Roundup June 2025: – Lucas Beyer (OpenAI –> Meta) – Alexander Kolesnikov (OpenAI –> Meta) – Xiaohua Zhai (OpenAI –> Meta) – Jiahui Yu: (OpenAI –> Meta),” one final person mentioned.
AI Free Agency Roundup June 2025:
— Rtzr (@ryan_tzr) June 30, 2025
– Lucas Beyer (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Alexander Kolesnikov (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Xiaohua Zhai (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Jiahui Yu: (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Hongyu Ren: (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Shuchao Bi: (OpenAI –> Meta)
– Shengjia Zhao: (OpenAI –> Meta)
-… pic.twitter.com/1kUlFkDMEK
