Group 1 - OpenAI employees and former employees have cashed out nearly $3 billion through multiple stock sales since 2021, which is remarkable for a company only six years old [1] - SoftBank has become the largest buyer of OpenAI employee stock, acquiring approximately $2.4 billion in shares from a small group of current and former employees this spring, in addition to a $1.5 billion purchase in January [2] - The frequency of stock sales at OpenAI is notable, with employees participating at high rates; 90% of eligible employees sold shares at $52 each in August 2021, and 74% sold shares at nearly $210 each in January [3] Group 2 - OpenAI's latest funding round has pushed its valuation to $260 billion, with share prices exceeding $250 [4] - The competition for talent in the AI sector is intense, with companies like Anthropic and xAI also facilitating large-scale employee stock sales to retain talent [6] - While stock cashing can alleviate short-term financial concerns for employees, it may lead to increased turnover as employees achieve financial freedom and consider entrepreneurship or retirement [7]