Overview

• Thinking Machines Lab confirmed Tulloch’s exit, and he told colleagues on October 10 that he was leaving for personal reasons.
• The Wall Street Journal reported a compensation package worth up to $1.5 billion over six years, a figure a Meta spokesperson called inaccurate and ridiculous as exact terms remain undisclosed.
• Tulloch’s recruitment followed Meta’s unsuccessful effort to buy Mira Murati’s startup and subsequent outreach to more than a dozen employees, including Tulloch.
• Meta’s broader talent push has included offers reportedly reaching $100 million, according to OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and recent hires such as Apple executive Frank Chu.
• Coverage frames the defection as a test of startup retention while Meta works to strengthen its AI efforts after mixed reception to its Llama 4 model.