Summary
Big tech companies are competing to hire top AI experts with high compensation packages, sometimes offering amounts that could reach over a billion dollars. These offers mostly consist of stock options, which can fluctuate in value depending on the company's stock performance. Many top researchers prioritize their mission and research freedom over financial gain.
Key Facts
- Tech companies are eager to hire top AI experts, offering very high compensation.
- Mark Zuckerberg from Meta offered Andrew Tulloch a package worth up to $1.5 billion over six years.
- These compensation packages usually involve stock options, not direct cash payments.
- Stock options can decrease in value if the company’s stock price drops after hiring.
- Researchers are often motivated by solving challenging problems more than by money.
- Sam Altman of OpenAI suggests that a strong mission focus can attract top talent better than high pay.
- In the past, similar hiring battles occurred in tech over skills like machine learning and internet networking.
- High-tech AI work requires access to powerful and expensive computing resources.
