AI startup salary record: up to $690K base now paid by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity

AI startup salaries break records in 2025. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity now offer base pay up to $690,000 for top engineers.

AI startups are redefining compensation norms as the global talent war for machine learning experts intensifies. A new Business Insider report, drawing from fresh H-1B filings, shows that engineers and researchers at leading companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity are now commanding base salaries once reserved for tech’s biggest giants—sometimes exceeding them. With OpenAI offering up to $530,000 and Anthropic reaching a staggering $690,000 for senior technical hires, the bar for AI talent has been dramatically raised.

The new benchmarks: what AI startups are really paying in 2025

Official documents reveal that OpenAI’s highest base pay for technical staff is now set at $530,000, with most senior roles above $400,000. Anthropic has filed for salaries as high as $690,000, setting a new high for the sector. Perplexity, Cohere, and other well-funded startups have also entered the fray, offering $250,000 to $450,000 base, plus equity and bonus structures that often push total annual compensation close to, or above, the million-dollar mark.

Even smaller players, some with valuations under $2 billion, are aggressively raising their offers to compete for the limited pool of top-tier AI researchers. These figures, publicly filed with the Department of Labor as part of H-1B visa applications, provide a rare, verified glimpse into an industry otherwise known for secrecy around pay.

Why AI salaries are exploding: talent, mission, and competition

Several factors drive this rapid escalation in pay. First, the pool of elite AI engineers remains extremely limited, and demand far outstrips supply as companies race to release new models and agentic platforms.

Second, AI startups face fierce competition from Big Tech, with Meta, Google, and Microsoft all aggressively recruiting and offering lavish compensation packages. Finally, the strategic stakes have never been higher: the right team can make or break a company’s shot at leading the next generation of AI.

How these pay packages are transforming hiring dynamics across the tech industry

The consequences of these sky-high salaries are profound. Startups must raise ever-larger funding rounds to cover payroll and compete with Big Tech, while employees are more likely to jump ship for better offers or new missions. The “salary arms race” could strain margins and intensify pressure on company culture, especially as expectations rise with each new product cycle.

At the same time, these compensation levels reflect just how central advanced AI has become to the future of technology and business. For a small group of highly skilled engineers, the rewards—and the responsibilities—have never been greater.

The new salary era: opportunities, risks, and the changing balance of power

The rise in AI compensation has fundamentally altered both opportunity and risk for engineers and startups alike. For top engineers, this era offers more leverage than ever to negotiate higher pay, meaningful equity, and real influence over product direction. Talented professionals can now choose among offers not just for financial reasons, but based on a company’s mission, pace of innovation, and vision for responsible AI.

For startups and their investors, this new normal means greater pressure to justify high payrolls with tangible progress, sustained fundraising, and compelling long-term strategies. Startups must move fast to retain their talent and show results, or risk losing ground to competitors with deeper pockets or more attractive work environments.

Ultimately, this new salary era is setting the terms for the next phase of the AI revolution—one in which the race for talent is just as important as the race for breakthrough technology.

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