Top AI Researchers Field Hundred-Million-Dollar Offers Amid Talent War
Top artificial intelligence researchers are reportedly fielding offers of as much as hundreds of millions of dollars a year amid a talent war that involves companies like Meta, OpenAI and Google.
[contact-form-7]The researchers are responding by mulling over the offers with their entourages, comparing the deals with their peers and seeking counteroffers from other AI companies, The New York Times reported Thursday (July 31).
The report compared the competition for talent to that seen with NBA and NFL stars, but added that unlike sports teams, tech companies are not limited by a salary gap.
The competition is so fierce because the potential benefits of AI advancements to the companies are so great, while the pool of talent is limited because few companies have access to the amount of computing power it takes to drive the most advanced systems, according to the report.
In the case of Meta, the company seeks candidates from “the List,” which includes AI talent with qualifications like a Ph.D. in a related field, experience at a top lab and contributions to breakthroughs in the field, the report said.
Companies seeking to add or retain AI talent are reportedly changing their compensation structures, asking employees who might be poached to give the company a chance to make a counteroffer, and offering not only money but also access to the computing power that fuels AI.
Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai was asked during a July 23 earnings call about the talent poaching going on in the AI community. Pichai said top researchers join companies based on a host of reasons, not just compensation. These reasons include access to computing power and the quality of peers they would meet at work.
“We’re pretty competitive on all those fronts,” Pichai said.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday (July 30) during an earnings call that Apple will “significantly” step up investments and dedicate more staff toward the development of AI features.
It was reported July 14 that investors concerned by Apple’s slump in share prices and frustrated with its delays in introducing AI features were calling on the company to acquire or hire new AI talent.
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