Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels

The battle for top AI talent has escalated dramatically, with Meta reportedly dangling billion-dollar compensation packages to lure leading researchers and engineers. Sources indicate CEO Mark Zuckerberg is heavily involved in the recruitment drive, even setting his sights on personnel from Mira Murati’s recently established Thinking Machines Lab. This aggressive push raises concerns about the sustainability of current AI investment levels and the escalating costs associated with securing skilled professionals, particularly as Anthropic’s valuation continues to climb, further fueling the talent war.