Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is aggressively recruiting top AI engineers and researchers from rival companies, including OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. To lure them with lucrative compensation packages worth up to $100 million. The move comes as Meta competes for AI dominance in the tech industry.
Zuckerberg has personally reached out to sought-after candidates, including those from top PhD programs at prestigious universities. Many are currently employed by rival companies but have been approached by Meta about joining its “superintelligence team”.
The goal of Zuckerberg’s recruitment efforts is to bring in talent from the world’s top AI labs, with an internal lab focused on developing a hypothetical system smarter than humans. Meta has also made significant investments, including a $14 billion deal for Scale AI.
However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has criticized Meta’s approach, saying it prioritizes guaranteed compensation over work and mission. Despite this, Zuckerberg remains committed to his strategy, which aims to transform Meta into a leader in the AI space.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/28/mark-zuckerberg-ai-list