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5h ago

Silicon Valley AI Firms Escalate Nine-Figure Bids as Researchers Choose Mission Over Money

Rejections of eye-popping contracts are fueling warnings that runaway compensation is destabilizing the AI talent market.

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Mark Zuckerberg’s hiring spree has led many to feel a “fear of missing out”
(Christopher Smith for TheWrap)
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Overview

  • Major tech companies are offering nine-figure and even billion-dollar packages, with one candidate reportedly turning down a $1.25 billion four-year deal.
  • Meta has dangled $200 million pay arrangements and $100 million signing bonuses for AI specialists, yet none of its top targets have accepted.
  • Anthropic executives say their team declined offers up to $100 million, opting to stay for mission-driven work on AI safety and human impact.
  • Former Google HR chief Laszlo Bock described $100 million recruitment contracts as a “bargain” given the potential returns on research breakthroughs.
  • Venture investors warn that the surge in compensation is creating a “crazy AI talent bubble” that could concentrate research power and unsettle industry norms.