Google Paid Him $986,000 in a Single Year — But He Still Left

For Yousuf Imran, the grass was greener outdoors of Google. 

The 41-year-old Google account govt earned $986,000 in 2026, primarily from gross sales commissions that layered on high of a $170,000 base wage. Regardless of making almost $1 million at Google, he was drawn to the “life-changing cash” that AI startups have been providing their workers. 

“Google pays very properly, however the fairness packages at OpenAI and Anthropic are in a unique universe,” Imran, a resident of the San Francisco Bay Space, stated in a current interview with Enterprise Insider. 

He was additionally disillusioned with Google as a result of the tech big laid off a few of his coworkers over the previous few years — and he questioned if he can be subsequent. Since early 2023, Google has eradicated tens of hundreds of jobs globally after fast pandemic hiring.

So, in April, Imran took the plunge and give up Google to launch an AI gross sales instruments startup. 

His transfer away from Google highlights how the tech big has misplaced a few of its edge within the AI growth, per Enterprise Insider. Google’s beneficiant compensation packages and perks drew a fair proportion of curiosity over time. In line with employer branding agency Universum, Google was essentially the most interesting employer for enterprise college students for over a decade, from 2009 to 2022, earlier than shedding the highest spot to Apple.  

AI startups are coming for Google’s crown

Now Google is shedding floor to AI corporations. Enterprise Insider interviewed 12 present and former Google workers and located that the AI growth has opened the door to extra alternatives elsewhere. For instance, Bloomberg reported final month that two AI researchers, Jonas Adler and Alexander Pritzel, are planning to go away Google for Anthropic. The 2 beforehand labored on Google’s Gemini AI, with Adler engaged on Gemini’s coding push and Pritzel honing the method of coaching AI methods. 

Google provides aggressive compensation. The median Google worker made $331,894 in 2024, a 5% enhance from 2023, in response to federal filings. Nevertheless, AI startups supply higher monetary alternatives. Former Google staff need the thrill and sky-high incomes potential related to becoming a member of a quickly rising AI firm or creating one among their very own, per Enterprise Insider. 

Google provides beneficiant perks — however it’s scaling again

Google has lengthy symbolized the gold normal for Silicon Valley perks, pairing excessive salaries with lavish advantages that blurred the road between workplace and life. Staff nonetheless take pleasure in free or sponsored meals, complete well being protection, beneficiant parental depart and robust retirement applications. 

In recent times, nevertheless, Google has systematically pared again its extra extravagant choices to economize and function extra effectively. For instance, in 2023, the corporate eradicated a few of its snack bars and meals choices, per a leaked workers memo considered by The Wall Road Journal. In line with the identical memo, it additionally shut down some cafeterias on days with comparatively few folks within the workplace. CNBC additional reported that Google additionally ended its free therapeutic massage providers for staff that yr. 

A Google spokesperson instructed Enterprise Insider final month that the corporate is assured that it will possibly nonetheless appeal to and retain high expertise. 

For Yousuf Imran, the grass was greener outdoors of Google. 

The 41-year-old Google account govt earned $986,000 in 2026, primarily from gross sales commissions that layered on high of a $170,000 base wage. Regardless of making almost $1 million at Google, he was drawn to the “life-changing cash” that AI startups have been providing their workers. 

“Google pays very properly, however the fairness packages at OpenAI and Anthropic are in a unique universe,” Imran, a resident of the San Francisco Bay Space, stated in a current interview with Enterprise Insider.