OpenAI Acqui-Hire Playbook: Talent Wins Over Products in AI’s Talent War

OpenAI’s talent-hungry strategy takes another turn as it acquires Convogo’s team — but not their product — in a pattern that’s becoming standard for AI’s power players. The acquisition focuses on Convogo’s leadership assessment expertise for HR teams, with OpenAI confirming the existing product will wind down. This move adds to OpenAI’s 9 acqui-hires in the past year, with 7+ products folded or shut down.

Convogo co-founders Matt Cooper, Evan Cater, and Mike Gillett received an all-stock deal. The company had developed a platform automating leadership assessments for coaches and HR teams, but OpenAI’s interest lies in the team’s capabilities for its "AI cloud efforts."

"We’re convinced now more than ever that the key to bridging that gap lies in thoughtful, purpose-built experiences..." the statement emphasized, referencing OpenAI’s goal to connect AI models with real-world outcomes. However, the product wind-down confirms a recurring trend: talent acquisition often precedes product discontinuation in AI’s consolidation phase.