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Hi! I’m a newbie with RPGs and I’m about to start my very first adventure with a couple of friends. When I was learning about the game I came to the part with the Experience Points system. It left me with a bit of confusion as it only said how PCs obtain and spend them. I read through both the Player’s Handbook and the GM Guide without finding anything about it.
Now I’m wondering:
1. Can the GM get Experience Points in any way?
2. If that’s the case do you spend them on NPCs the same way the PCs does?
Thanks for any help I can get!

Welcome to a fun, and at times confusing hobby! On to your questions:

1 & 2: No. The GM doesn't earn XP. As the Gamemaster you can create NPCs to your liking without bothering with rules for character creation or character advancement. Sure, you can rule that NPCs earn XP individually to create characters that develop in step with the PCs, but you could just as well grant them the advancements that you feel they need for the purpose/purposes you created them for. Your task is to impersonate the setting and all it encompasses, let the PCs worry about rules and shit. You are God.

The most important here is: GMs are not players and they don't have PC running and fighting with the party. Your job is to create the world and the drive the story forward. If you want to be also a player and GM... at the same time... introduce NPC to the group that will be your voice and just sometimes participate in the action. Do not steal the screen time from your players.

If you want to attach a NPC to the group and simulate leveling as they do, simplify your life and from time to time add extra talents and increase the level of existing talents. What you add must make sense from the story and world perspective, so you don't break the immersion. No need to have extra overhead in managing a NPC as PC. Same for the NPCs that are recurring villains or encounters.

Welcome to a fun, and at times confusing hobby! On to your questions:

1 & 2: No. The GM doesn't earn XP. As the Gamemaster you can create NPCs to your liking without bothering with rules for character creation or character advancement. Sure, you can rule that NPCs earn XP individually to create characters that develop in step with the PCs, but you could just as well grant them the advancements that you feel they need for the purpose/purposes you created them for. Your task is to impersonate the setting and all it encompasses, let the PCs worry about rules and shit. You are God.

Thank you so much for the help! That clears things up!

The most important here is: GMs are not players and they don't have PC running and fighting with the party. Your job is to create the world and the drive the story forward. If you want to be also a player and GM... at the same time... introduce NPC to the group that will be your voice and just sometimes participate in the action. Do not steal the screen time from your players.

If you want to attach a NPC to the group and simulate leveling as they do, simplify your life and from time to time add extra talents and increase the level of existing talents. What you add must make sense from the story and world perspective, so you don't break the immersion. No need to have extra overhead in managing a NPC as PC. Same for the NPCs that are recurring villains or encounters.

Thanks! I’ll try to make the experience for the group as immersive as possible!