The two most prominent AI companies in the world have been shopping at the same talent store. OpenAI and Anthropic have collectively hired approximately 100 Salesforce employees over the past 18 months, with the departures concentrated heavily in sales, marketing, and go-to-market roles.
The numbers paint a lopsided picture
Anthropic has been the more aggressive recruiter of the two. More than 45 former Salesforce employees have joined the Claude maker since early 2026 alone. OpenAI isn’t far behind, absorbing nearly 40 former Salesforce staffers in the same window.
The roles being filled aren’t engineering or research positions. They’re the kind of jobs that generate revenue: sales, marketing, go-to-market strategy, and revenue operations. At both OpenAI and Anthropic, sales and revenue roles now make up roughly 20% of open positions.
Why Salesforce’s bench is so attractive
