Overview

• New reporting says Meta offered select elite researchers packages reportedly as high as $250–$300 million over four years and massive first‑year payouts, claims the company calls exaggerated or false.
• A restricted-access TBD Lab near Mark Zuckerberg’s desk keeps its roster off internal org charts, reinforcing perceptions of a privileged cadre inside the AI group.
• Recent departures include Avi Verma and Ethan Knight returning to OpenAI, Rishabh Agarwal leaving over in‑person requirements to join Periodic Labs, and product manager Ruben Mayer exiting.
• ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao nearly left for OpenAI within a week of joining before Meta retained him with a chief scientist title, while disputing that his pay was tripled.
• Meta has tightened hiring with a partial freeze that requires Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang’s approval for exceptions, as it reorganizes AI teams after Llama 4’s weak reception and continues heavy spending, including a $14.3 billion Scale AI deal and projected $72 billion in 2025 AI capex.