OpenAI hires xAI’s former finance chief
Summary
OpenAI has hired Mike Liberatore, who briefly served as chief financial officer at Elon Musk’s xAI, as a senior finance executive. Liberatore will report to OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar and work closely with Greg Brockman’s team on contracts and the company’s compute strategy. His arrival follows a short three-month tenure at xAI and comes amid a wave of departures and layoffs at Musk’s company.
Liberatore brings nearly nine years of finance experience from Airbnb and senior roles at SquareTrade, eBay and PayPal. The move also surfaces in the context of the intensifying rivalry between Sam Altman and Elon Musk, which includes legal battles and public disputes.
Key Points
- Mike Liberatore joins OpenAI as a senior finance executive, starting 16 September 2025.
- He will report to CFO Sarah Friar and collaborate with Greg Brockman’s team on compute contracts and capital strategy.
- Liberatore previously served a short three-month stint as xAI’s CFO before leaving in July 2025.
- His background includes senior finance roles at Airbnb, SquareTrade, eBay and PayPal.
- The hiring follows leadership churn and layoffs at xAI and occurs amid heightened tensions between OpenAI and Elon Musk’s ventures.
Context and relevance
The hire matters because finance leadership shapes how AI firms secure and allocate capital for compute — a major cost and competitive axis in the sector. Bringing in an experienced operator from a rival start-up signals OpenAI is bolstering its financial bench as competition and legal disputes with Elon Musk escalate.
For investors, partners and industry watchers, changes at the finance level can presage shifts in strategy, spending on compute, partnerships or fundraising.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you follow the AI race, this is one of those quiet hires that actually tells you something — OpenAI is shoring up its finance team while xAI is shedding staff. Worth a quick read if you want the inside track on who’s steering the money behind the models.
Author style
Punchy — this is a tight personnel move with wider implications. Read the detail if you want to understand how the AI arms race is being funded and organised.