VC says 10,000 AI employees became millionaires
menlo ventures partner deedy das claims about 10,000 employees at openai, anthropic, nvidia, and xai have amassed fortunes over $20 million in the last five years, leaving the rest of silicon valley feeling left behind.
venture capitalist deedy das of menlo ventures describes a 'frenetic' mood in san francisco driven by an extreme wealth gap created by the ai boom. he estimates that around 10,000 individuals at companies such as openai, anthropic, nvidia, and xai have accumulated over $20 million in wealth recently, with 75 openai staff becoming multimillionaires last fall alone. meanwhile, the majority of software engineers face layoffs, stagnation, and a feeling that 'why even work at all for peanuts,' as mid-level management roles are hollowed out. das notes that even the sudden winners often feel a lack of purpose, illustrating how the sector has shifted from rewarding hard work to rewarding the luck of being at the right firm.