AI boom? OpenAI set to double its team by end of 2026; new hires to be deployed across these fields – Report

OpenAI said it plans to nearly double its workforce to 8,000 from the current 4,500 by the end of 2026. Finance Times It was reported Saturday, citing two people with knowledge of the matter.

According to the report, the artificial intelligence startup will assign most of the new hires to product development, engineering, research and sales.

The ChatGPT maker is also reportedly increasing the hiring of experts focused on “technical ambassadorship” aimed at helping businesses make better use of its tools, according to the FT.

Big Tech and Masayoshi Son’s Softbank also participated in the blockbuster $110 billion financing round, while the company’s last financing round was valued at $840 billion.

In December last year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly issued an internal “code red” in response to Google’s Gemini 3 to pause non-core projects and direct teams to accelerate development.

(This is a developing story. Keep checking for more updates)