OpenAI secures claude code product leader cat wu, fueling AI talent war

OpenAI has successfully recruited Cat Wu, the former product lead for Anthropic's Claude Code, to serve as Head of Product Management for Core Products. Wu will collaborate with Nick Turley, head of enterprise products, and Ashley Alexander, head of consumer products, reporting to Tibo Sottiaux. OpenAI President Greg Brockman publicly welcomed her joining the company. Wu brings extensive experience from guiding Claude Code from its initial prototype stage to commercial success, alongside overseeing Anthropic’s Cowork product for non-coding tasks, providing deep expertise in productizing AI agents. Anthropic reported that as of February 2026, Claude Code's annualized revenue run rate exceeded $2.5 billion, doubling from the start of the year, while weekly active users and enterprise subscriptions quadrupled. Wu expressed admiration for OpenAI, noting the company's success in proving the feasibility of AI at scale to over a billion people. This move highlights the intense industry competition, as Wu previously left Anthropic in 2025 to join Cursor before returning to Anthropic, underscoring the high value placed on talent capable of successful commercialization in the rapidly escalating AI sector.