Silicon Valley AI Researchers Negotiate Nine-Figure Pay Packages

Silicon Valley's competition for AI talent has escalated to unprecedented levels, with companies like Meta offering compensation packages comparable to those of NBA superstars. A notable example is Matt Deitke, a 24-year-old AI researcher who was initially offered $125 million by Meta to join their superintelligence research team but eventually accepted a revised offer of around $250 million over four years after negotiations, including a personal meeting with Mark Zuckerberg. These deals often reach nine figures and are structured over several years, with some payments front-loaded to attract top talent. Young AI researchers are now using agents and entourages to negotiate deals, akin to professional athletes, and the absence of salary caps in tech companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Google has fueled this escalating talent war. Recruitment has become highly publicized and competitive, resembling sports trades, with companies aggressively poaching from rivals. This intense bidding war shows that motivation among top AI experts is evolving beyond financial incentives alone, reflecting the growing strategic importance of AI expertise.