OpenAI revealed that its average stock-based compensation reached $1.5 million per employee in 2025, a figure that consumes 46% of its annual revenue. The payout is 34 times higher than the pre-IPO average of major tech firms and reflects an aggressive retention strategy against rivals like Meta. Internal data indicates these equity costs will increase by approximately $3 billion annually through 2030 as the company removes standard vesting cliffs to secure top talent.
