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Why would Top AI researchers from Apple and OpenAI choose to leave their previous employers to Meta?

1. Massive Compensation Packages & Incentives

2. Strategic Opportunity & Leadership Roles

Building a ‘Superintelligence’ Team: Meta’s new Superintelligence Labs (MSL), led by renowned figures like Alexandr Wang (Scale AI) and Nat Friedman (ex-GitHub), offers researchers the chance to build a world-class team from the ground up, with significant influence over company direction.

Mission-driven projects: The opportunity to work directly on the next frontier of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is appealing. Researchers cite the chance to make a lasting impact and collaborate with other industry leaders in a mission-focused environment.

3. Access to Resources & Infrastructure

Computing power: Meta is promising nearly unlimited access to the latest AI chips, powerful compute clusters, and extensive data necessary for scaling large AI models—resources often limited at OpenAI and Apple.

Aggressive investment: With over $14 billion pumped into related AI partnerships and infrastructure, Meta aims to compete at the very top of the field.

4. Challenging Internal Climates at Apple and OpenAI

At Apple:

Internal turmoil and strategy uncertainty: Apple’s internal debates over whether to rely on in-house models or third-party tech have left the AI team demoralized. Several high-profile failed launches and shifting direction caused key researchers to feel scapegoated and undervalued.

Leadership departures: The rapid departure of leaders like Ruoming Pang—Apple’s former head of foundation models—triggered a cascade effect, with trusted lieutenants and team members following him to Meta for both professional alignment and stability.

At OpenAI:

Meta targeting non-founder talent: Despite media focus on “top” OpenAI names, Meta has attracted many senior researchers who ran major projects—lured by both pay and the promise of working in a culture more open to ambitious research directions.

Cultural clashes: OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, acknowledged Meta’s lucrative offers but insisted that OpenAI’s most “mission-driven” talent turned them down, suggesting the move is partly about value alignment and project excitement.

5. The Race for Artificial General Intelligence

Industry prestige and momentum: Meta’s high-profile push for superintelligence, and the chance to work side-by-side with some of the best in the business, are compelling reasons for ambitious researchers. Being part of a project aiming to surpass human-level intelligence is seen as a unique, career-defining opportunity.

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