Introduction
Trapit Bansal, an Indian-origin researcher, has left OpenAI to join Meta’s new superintelligence unit. Mr Bansal confirmed the move on Tuesday in a post on X, writing, “Thrilled to be joining Meta! Superintelligence is now in sight.” Reports citing Open AI CEO Sam Altman’s comments suggest that Trapit Bansal is among the top-notch recruits offered a 100 million joining bonus by Meta. GetMyIndia.com
Who is Trapit Bansal
Trapit Bansal is an AI researcher and IIT Kanpur alumnus, known for his pioneering work in deep learning and reasoning systems. Bansal’s career began in 2012 as an analyst at Accenture in Gurugram. But it was his deep interest in data and mathematics that steered him towards AI. He spent over two years at IISc Bengaluru as a research assistant working on Bayesian modeling and inference, laying the foundation for his academic and research trajectory.
A graduate of IIT Kanpur in Mathematics and Statistics, Bansal pursued his Master’s and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During this time, he interned at tech giants like Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI—focusing on deep learning, NLP, and reinforcement learning.
Key Role at OpenAI
Trapit Bansal joined OpenAI in January 2022 as a Member of Technical Staff. He was instrumental in building “o1”, OpenAI’s first AI reasoning model, which laid the groundwork for future versions like ChatGPT-4. Bansal collaborated closely with co-founder Ilya Sutskever, focusing on reinforcement learning, reasoning, and long-horizon planning. His contributions helped OpenAI transition from language modeling to more advanced cognitive capabilities, marking a pivotal shift toward general-purpose reasoning systems. His work at OpenAI is considered foundational in the push toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
Transition to Meta’s AI Superintelligence Team
In June 2025, Trapit Bansal left OpenAI to join Meta’s newly formed Superintelligence Labs, an elite division focused on building next-generation frontier AI models. His move is part of Meta’s aggressive push to rival OpenAI and DeepMind in the race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). At Meta, Bansal is expected to lead efforts in developing reasoning-based AI systems, leveraging his prior work on OpenAI’s O1 model. His recruitment follows a wave of high-profile hires by Meta, signaling the company’s ambition to be at the forefront of AI innovation.
Rumored ₹800 Crore Package
Reports claim Trapit Bansal received a staggering ₹800 crore (~$96 million) compensation package from Meta upon joining its Superintelligence Labs. Though unconfirmed officially, the figure likely includes a mix of salary, stock grants, performance bonuses, and access to exclusive AI infrastructure. Meta’s aggressive talent acquisition strategy has made headlines, with OpenAI’s Sam Altman previously stating that Meta offered up to $100 million to key AI researchers. Meta’s CTO later clarified that these are not direct sign-on bonuses, but part of long-term compensation plans.
Public Announcement
Trapit Bansal publicly confirmed his move to Meta through a brief but impactful post on X (formerly Twitter):
“Thrilled to be joining @Meta! Superintelligence is now in sight,”
The announcement aligned with Meta’s broader reveal of its Superintelligence Labs, a team designed to accelerate the development of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). Bansal’s post quickly gained traction in the tech and research community, highlighting both his influence and the significance of his transition from OpenAI to Meta.
Why It Matters
Trapit Bansal’s move to Meta underscores the intensifying global talent war in AI. With reported offers nearing ₹800 crore, Meta is aggressively attracting top minds from rivals like OpenAI to fuel its AGI ambitions. Bansal, a key contributor to OpenAI’s reasoning models, brings rare expertise critical for building superintelligent systems. His switch highlights how strategic talent shifts are reshaping the future of AI leadership—and how India-born researchers are central to that race.
