In line with its goal of expanding its AI team, Meta has directed some of its highest-ever individual transfer offers to Thinking Machines Lab employees. Meta’s transfer efforts in this area are focused on attracting prominent figures not only from major tech giants but also from startups.

Meta attracts AI experts

Thinking Machines Lab has become a focal point in the AI community in recent months. The company’s core team includes prominent figures who were involved in the founding and development of OpenAI. In addition to Mira Murati, these include John Schulman and Barrett Zoph.

Meta reportedly offered four-year contracts ranging from $200 million to $500 million to some of these individuals, while another employee received a total offer worth up to $1 billion.

Last month, Thinking Machines Lab secured a new $2 billion investment, reaching a total valuation of $12 billion. The fact that no employee accepted Meta’s offers demonstrates the founders’ and team’s belief in the startup. While the company hasn’t disclosed which employees have rejected this offer, it’s noted that Meta’s offers of this magnitude are being closely monitored in the industry.

Meta’s move demonstrates its aggressive growth target in the AI field. The company has previously hired senior engineers from organizations like OpenAI and Google DeepMind. Meta also continues to offer multimillion-dollar individual packages to build an “elite team” capable of leading AI research.

Mira Murati announced in a statement last week that Thinking Machines Lab’s first AI product will be unveiled very soon. While the product’s content hasn’t yet been disclosed, the company’s current staff and the scale of rejected offers are fueling public anticipation.