As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries and capture public imagination, tech giants like Meta and OpenAI find themselves locked in an unprecedented talent war—one where annual compensation packages exceeding $2 million, and even reaching stratospheric heights of $10 million, are now the norm for top AI experts. This surge, representing a 50% increase in average pay since 2022, underscores the intense competition to secure the brightest minds in machine learning, generative AI, and large-scale systems.
The Million-Dollar AI Brain Drain
At Meta, base salaries for top research engineers can reach up to $440,000, while software engineers can earn up to $480,000 before stock grants and bonuses—total compensation often doubles or triples these figures. Levels.fyi reports Meta’s total packages ranging from $186,000 to $3.2 million for AI roles, while OpenAI’s range is $212,000 to $2.5 million, with higher median pay than peers.
OpenAI, facing high-profile staff departures and aggressive poaching by rivals, has explored “creative ways” of rewarding its top researchers. CEO Sam Altman confirmed that Meta has offered sign-on bonuses as high as $100 million to lure away key personnel from OpenAI.
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The Stakes: Innovation and Dominance
The escalating salary war is partly attributed to recent underperformance of major models—Meta’s Llama 4 failed on coding and reasoning benchmarks—which prompted the company’s renewed investment in talent acquisition and partnerships, including a reported $15 billion investment. Beyond financial rewards, tech giants are also offering equity stakes, leadership roles, and cutting-edge research opportunities to attract and retain the most sought-after AI talent.
As AI continues to disrupt industries and reshape our world, this unprecedented talent grab underscores the pivotal role that top AI experts play in shaping the future of technology. The race is on not just for profitability, but also for innovation and dominance in an AI-powered landscape.
