Meta’s AI Talent Hunt: Poaching Top Researchers from Apple and Beyond
Meta Platforms has been on a hiring spree, poaching top artificial intelligence (AI) researchers from Apple and other leading technology companies. This aggressive talent raid is part of the company’s broader strategy to accelerate the development of superintelligent machines, which could surpass human capabilities in various domains.
A Growing Team with a Strong Leadership
Under the leadership of Alexandr Wang, Meta’s chief AI officer, the company has been building a strong team of AI researchers. Wang, who was brought onboard after Meta invested $14.3 billion in data-labeling startup Scale AI, has been instrumental in shaping the company’s AI strategy. Alongside Wang, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman will co-lead the unit, which has already attracted top talent from leading labs, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Apple.
The Latest Hires: Mark Lee and Tom Gunter
This week, Meta hired two senior AI researchers, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, from Apple’s AI division. Lee has already started working on Meta’s Menlo Park campus, while Gunter is set to join shortly. According to a Bloomberg report, Lee has already left Apple, whereas Gunter is expected to do so soon. The duo had reportedly worked closely with Ruoming Pang, who was poached from Apple earlier this year with a pay package of over $200 million.
A Mega-Deal for AI Talent
Meta’s willingness to offer massive packages to attract top AI talent is a clear indication of the company’s commitment to dominating the AI landscape. The mega-deals, which include multi-million-dollar signing bonuses and equity grants, are a departure from the traditional approach to hiring AI researchers. This bold strategy is aimed at fast-tracking the development of machines that could surpass human capabilities in various domains.
A Growing Team with Diversity
Meta’s Superintelligence Team is growing rapidly, with only two Indian-origin researchers – Trapit Bansal and Hammad Syed – currently part of the team. The company is committed to building a diverse team of AI researchers, which will be crucial in developing machines that can learn and adapt to complex scenarios.
Conclusion
Meta’s aggressive talent raid is a clear indication of the company’s commitment to dominating the AI landscape. With a strong leadership team and a growing roster of top AI researchers, Meta is well-positioned to accelerate the development of superintelligent machines. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how Meta’s bold strategy plays out in the coming years.
Originally published on https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-news-updates/meta-poaches-two-ai-researchers-from-apple-in-hiring-spree/
