OpenAI plans to nearly double its workforce to around 8,000 employees this year as it expands its enterprise AI push. The hiring comes amid rising competition from Anthropic, which is gaining business customers. CEO Sam Altman has urged teams to refocus on ChatGPT and improve products while integrating tools like Codex into a unified platform.

OpenAI -- a parent of ChatGPT -- plans to nearly double its workforce to around 8,000 employees by the end of the year as it accelerates its push into the enterprise market and seeks to regain ground from rival Anthropic, according to a report.

According to Financial Times, the AI company currently has about 4,500 employees and is ramping up hiring across product development, engineering, research and sales, along with specialised roles to help businesses deploy its AI tools more effectively.

As part of its expansion, OpenAI has leased additional office space in San Francisco, taking its footprint in the city to more than one million square feet, with plans to add nearly a dozen employees a day this year, it said.

The report also noted that the hiring drive comes amid intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence sector, particularly in the enterprise segment where Anthropic has recently gained traction.