Difference here is OpenAI is not Google or FB with tens of thousands of employees bulk of which are engineers most likely not be able to get current level of compensation in case of mass layoff/resignations. OpenAI is couple of hundred people and are highly rated due to perceived level of success. So it is opposite of risk to follow the leader who has gotten them high level of compensation so far.
> He seems incredibly good at ingratiating himself with extremely powerful people
You seem to think it is negative. For most people including OpenAI employees it is great advantage to be working for/with him.