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OpenAI has appointed Mike Liberatore, former Chief Financial Officer at Elon Musk’s xAI, as its new business finance officer, according to a report by CNBC. Liberatore officially joined the Microsoft-backed artificial intelligence company on Tuesday, marking a major addition to OpenAI’s executive team during a period of rapid expansion and heightened competition in the AI sector.
Liberatore left xAI in July after just three months, with his exit reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month. His short stint was part of a wave of senior-level departures at Musk’s AI startup. Before joining xAI, he built a strong track record in finance leadership, spending nearly nine years at Airbnb and previously holding senior roles at eBay and PayPal. At xAI, he played a key role in securing at least $10 billion in funding for the company, which was targeting a $200 billion valuation in July.
OpenAI’s recruitment of Liberatore comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk, who has frequently criticized OpenAI’s transformation into a for-profit entity. Despite Musk’s opposition, OpenAI has moved forward with its growth plans, recently reaching a framework deal with Microsoft, its largest investor.
The company continues to strengthen its position in the global AI race, boasting a valuation of around $500 billion following a share sale in August. Earlier this year, OpenAI also secured SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984) as a major investor, further solidifying its financial base.
Liberatore’s extensive background in scaling technology companies and raising capital is expected to support OpenAI’s aggressive growth trajectory as it competes with rivals like Google DeepMind and Musk’s xAI for dominance in artificial intelligence.
