Several executives from established software companies, including Salesforce, Snowflake, and Palantir, have accepted positions at artificial intelligence firms OpenAI and Anthropic in recent weeks, according to a report from CNBC published on April 25, 2026. The report, which cited multiple sources, indicated that factors contributing to these moves include compensation packages and the opportunity for the executives to bring existing corporate client relationships to the AI firms.
Among the notable personnel changes, Denise Dresser, formerly the CEO of Slack within Salesforce, has been hired as the chief revenue officer at OpenAI. Jennifer Majlessi, another former Salesforce employee, announced via LinkedIn that she has taken a role as head of go-to-market at OpenAI. In a public post, Majlessi stated, “What makes this opportunity especially meaningful is my genuine belief in the product. I’ve seen how useful this technology can be in both work and life.”
The report also noted that Anthropic has hired personnel from Salesforce. OpenAI and Salesforce declined to comment on the matter.
These hires align with a stated strategic shift at AI companies toward expanding their enterprise services. OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar recently stated the company is on track to have enterprise customers account for 50% of its business by the end of the year, an increase from approximately 40% as of January. The company announced in November that over one million business customers were using its technology.
In addition to sales executives, OpenAI has also recruited forward-deployed engineers from Palantir Technologies in recent months, according to sources cited by CNBC. These engineers typically work directly with clients to implement software and business changes.
While executives from established tech companies bring extensive enterprise relationships, one source at an AI firm noted to CNBC that there can be challenges with cultural alignment, citing the demanding work pace at the rapidly expanding AI companies.
The movement of talent is occurring amid broader trends in the technology sector. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV), which tracks the software industry, has declined nearly 20% this year. In parallel, several large technology companies have announced workforce reductions. Oracle confirmed layoffs earlier this month, while Meta and Microsoft have also announced plans to reduce staff as they increase investment in artificial intelligence.
