MENLO PARK – Meta Platforms has assembled a specialized "Superintelligence" team, reportedly consisting of 44 individuals, as part of its intensified pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and superintelligence. The team, co-led by Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI, and Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub, represents a significant strategic investment by Mark Zuckerberg to accelerate Meta's AI capabilities.
According to a recent tweet by venture capitalist Deedy, the composition of this elite group is notably diverse and highly credentialed. Deedy stated in the tweet, "75% have PhDs, 70% Researchers," highlighting the academic and research-heavy nature of the unit.
The tweet also revealed a significant international presence and experience from rival firms, claiming "50% from China" and "75% 1st gen immigrants." Furthermore, a substantial portion of the team's talent has been sourced from leading AI laboratories, with Deedy noting "40% from OpenAI, 20% DeepMind, 15% Scale." This aligns with broader reports of Meta's aggressive recruitment strategy, which has seen the company poach top AI researchers from competitors.
Compensation for these highly sought-after individuals is reportedly substantial. While general AI researcher salaries at top tech companies can exceed $1 million annually, the tweet suggests an annual compensation range of "$10-$100M/yr" for each member of Meta's Superintelligence team. This figure likely encompasses total compensation packages, including significant stock options and signing bonuses, with some reports indicating signing bonuses reaching up to $100 million for elite recruits.
Meta's formation of the Superintelligence Labs, which now encompasses all of its AI efforts, underscores the company's commitment to leading the AI race. The strategic consolidation of talent and resources aims to develop advanced AI models, including the next generation of its Llama software, and achieve breakthrough advancements in the field.