New Delhi: Meta has reportedly offered more than $200 million (over ₹1,740 crore) to recruit Ruoming Pang, a top AI leader from Apple, into its new superintelligence team. According to Bloomberg, Pang previously led Apple’s AI models division and is now among a growing list of high-profile hires poached by Meta as it doubles down on building advanced AI systems.
Apple did not attempt to match the massive offer, which sources say was well beyond the company’s usual pay range, even higher than what Apple CEO Tim Cook earns. This move highlights the aggressive compensation tactics Meta is using to expand its artificial intelligence unit and compete in the intensifying talent war in Silicon Valley.
Meta’s “superintelligence” team gets serious money
Pang’s new role at Meta includes a package spread across several years, made up of base salary, signing bonus, and Meta stock. Sources told Bloomberg that while the full amount exceeds $200 million, a large part of it depends on performance and loyalty. Stock payouts are tied to how well Meta performs in the market, and in some cases, employees have to stay beyond the usual four-year vesting period to access the full amount.
Meta’s superintelligence lab, often referred to as MSL, is now filled with top names. Former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and AI startup founder Daniel Gross have already joined. Meta also struck a deal to bring in Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang by taking a 49 percent stake in his company, valuing it at $14.3 billion (₹1.24 lakh crore).
The tech company’s heavy spending has turned heads across the AI industry. Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Meta was offering his employees bonuses up to $100 million just to sign on. Despite his criticism, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has now managed to pull in over 10 researchers from OpenAI, and others from Google, Anthropic, and smaller startups.
Apple stays quiet, but culture matters
Sources told Bloomberg that Apple chose not to counter Meta’s offer to Pang, highlighting a clear difference in compensation strategy. While Apple is known for tightly controlled pay structures, Meta appears willing to break the norm to build what it sees as a core team for the future of AI.
In a recent podcast with his brother, Altman said OpenAI employees are choosing to stay because of the team culture and the company’s commitment to innovation, even when the money on the table is tempting.
Still, the shift is clear. Meta is pulling out all stops to build its next wave of AI products and services, and it’s not shy about spending whatever it takes.
Zuckerberg and Altman are expected to meet at the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, this week. Altman said he’s “looking forward to it.” With offers like these being made behind the scenes, that conversation might not be so casual.