Menlo Park, Calif.—Mark Zuckerberg is on a recruitment spree at Meta, enticing elite researchers for his ambitious superintelligence lab with staggering salary offers that could reach up to $300 million for four years. According to various sources, some of these offers include more than $100 million in their first year alone. This aggressive recruiting strategy is aimed at luring talent away from leading organizations like OpenAI.
Meta has reportedly extended at least ten lucrative offers to employees at OpenAI, focusing on individuals with significant expertise in artificial intelligence research. One potential candidate was considered for the role of chief scientist but declined the offer, indicating the competitiveness of the industry. Even those approached expressed caution, weighing the financial incentives against their perceived contributions at OpenAI compared to what they might achieve at Meta.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone challenged the narratives surrounding these compensation figures, asserting that claims of exaggerated pay packages are misleading. “Some people have chosen to greatly exaggerate what’s happening for their own purposes,” he said. However, a senior engineer at Meta noted their annual earnings are about $850,000, a figure that seems modest when contrasted with the offers being discussed.
Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s chief technology officer, clarified during a recent employee Q&A that not all employees are receiving the outsized $100 million contracts, stressing the current market’s volatility. He described the high-end offers as reserved for a limited number of leadership positions, which he emphasized require top-tier talent. Bosworth also pointed out that the figure is not merely a sign-on bonus but a composite of various forms of compensation.
The competition for top talent in the tech sector remains fierce, particularly within the AI domain. As evidence, the total compensation of prominent executives such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who earned $79.1 million in 2024, underscores the substantial financial stakes involved. Comparatively, Dara Khosrowshahi of Uber received around $39.4 million during the same period, further illustrating the scale of investment in tech leadership.
In a broader shakeup, Zuckerberg officially introduced the newly formed AI team at Meta, revealing that Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI, will take on the role of chief AI officer. Joining him is Nat Friedman, who previously led GitHub. Together, they will spearhead what Zuckerberg has termed the Meta Superintelligence Labs, although the company has yet to designate a chief scientist or research officer.
Despite the high-profile departures from OpenAI, reports indicate that none of the individuals who transitioned to Meta secured these $300 million contracts, prompting speculation about the true nature of the offers on the table. As the landscape of artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Meta’s recruitment strategy may signify a larger trend in how tech companies approach talent acquisition in an increasingly competitive field.