Meta allegedly extended billion-dollar offers to lure AI specialists from Mira Murati's startup, yet these attempts were unsuccessful, according to a recent report.
Meta's Attempts to Poach AI Talent from Thinking Machines Lab Fall Short
In a bid to bolster its AI capabilities, Meta has reportedly offered billion-dollar deals to several members of Thinking Machines Lab (TML), but these offers have been turned down[1][2][3]. The tech giant extended pay packages ranging between $200 million and $1 billion in multi-year compensation packages[2].
The latest of these offers was extended to Ruoming Pang, a former AI model chief at Apple, who was lured with a pay package exceeding $200 million for a period of multiple years[4]. However, Pang, like his TML colleagues, declined the offer[1].
The reasons for the rejections are attributed to concerns about Meta’s leadership under Alexandr Wang and doubts about Meta's AI product roadmap, which focuses on content for Facebook and Instagram rather than the broader goal of artificial general intelligence pursued by TML[1].
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has invested heavily in talent acquisition for its Superintelligence Labs with large compensation packages, but faces challenges attracting key personnel from TML specifically[3]. The researchers at TML prioritize independence, driven by Murati's long-term vision of building foundational AI technologies free from corporate interference.
Despite the enormous financial incentives, TML researchers have remained steadfast in their commitment to the lab[1]. Meta has succeeded in poaching AI talent from other rivals like OpenAI and Apple, but not from TML so far[2][3].
This failure to recruit any researchers from TML, despite very large offers reflecting the high value placed on TML’s elite staff, is a setback for Meta's efforts to build its Superintelligence Labs[1][2][3][4].
[1] Wired [2] The Verge [3] Bloomberg [4] TechCrunch
Meta's struggle to poach AI talent from Thinking Machines Lab, despite expensive offers, is a testament to the lab's focus on technology and artificial intelligence, with researchers prioritizing freedom and independence over financial gains. In the business world, where finance dominates decisions, Meta's efforts to attract TML's elite staff have yet to yield positive results.
