In a bold move to secure top talent in the rapidly advancing AI race, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly offered more than $2.6 billion in total compensation packages to lure experts away from leading tech companies and AI startups in 2025. The staggering figure eclipses the combined U.S. box office earnings of blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame and the 2025 Superman reboot.
Billion-Dollar Bids for Top AI Talent
Zuckerberg, currently ranked as the third richest person globally, has focused Meta’s attention—and funds—on building an elite AI team. According to reports, the offers included:
- $1 billion to a staffer at Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup led by Mira Murati.
- $1.5 billion to co-founder Andrew Tulloch, who declined the offer.
- Packages ranging from $200 million to $500 million to other team members, with a guaranteed $50–$100 million payout in the first year.
Meta’s aggressive recruitment didn’t stop there. A $300 million, four-year deal was reportedly extended to AI staff at OpenAI. Additionally, Zuckerberg made a $125 million offer to 24-year-old AI researcher Matt Deitke, later doubling it to $250 million after a personal meeting.
Another high-profile name, former Apple AI chief Ruoming Pang, was reportedly offered a $200 million multi-year package to join Meta.
Bigger Than Hollywood Blockbusters
To put the scale of Meta’s hiring push in perspective, Zuckerberg’s total known offers—around $2.6 billion—easily surpass the combined U.S. box office revenue of major superhero films. Avengers: Endgame grossed $858 million, and Superman (2025) recently crossed the $300 million mark, together totaling roughly $1.16 billion.
Zuckerberg’s compensation deals reportedly include not just base salary, but equity and other long-term incentives, underscoring Meta’s long-term vision for AI dominance.
Meta’s 2025 Investment Strategy
These unprecedented offers are part of Meta’s broader strategy. The company has committed $72 billion in capital expenditures this year, much of it directed toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and innovation.
With competition intensifying from players like OpenAI, Apple, and other tech giants, Meta’s deep-pocketed approach signals a high-stakes battle for the minds shaping the future of AI.
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