Google DeepMind CEO takes a dig at Meta’s poaching spree

Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, has voiced his thoughts on Meta's aggressive approach to recruiting AI talent from various startups, particularly highlighting the substantial compensation packages being offered. He characterized Meta’s strategy as 'rational,' acknowledging the company's current position in the generative AI landscape, where it seems to be trailing behind its competitors. Earlier this year, Meta launched its Superintelligence Labs, led by prominent figures such as former Scale AI CEO Alexander Wang and ex-GitHub CEO Nat Friedman. This initiative followed a lukewarm response to the release of its Llama models in April. Sources indicate that Mark Zuckerberg has been directly involved in attracting top talent, offering lucrative contracts that could reach as high as $200 million annually. The competitive hiring environment has prompted several AI researchers from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Apple to resign in pursuit of opportunities at Meta. In response to this trend, Hassabis remarked, “There’s a strategy that Meta is taking right now… I think the people that are real believers in the mission of AGI and what it can do—and understand the consequences, both good and bad—are mostly doing it to be at the frontier.” He emphasized the importance of influencing the development of AI technology responsibly, suggesting that Meta is not currently leading in this regard. Despite recognizing the necessity for competitive salaries in the industry, Hassabis pointed out that there are more significant motivations than just financial incentives. He reflected on the evolution of the AI field since DeepMind's inception, noting how drastically things have changed: “We couldn’t raise any money. I didn’t pay myself for a couple of years. And these days, interns are being paid what we raised as our entire first seed round.”