After Apple, Meta on ‘hunt’ for OpenAI workers

Meta is on a hiring spree for its superintelligence lab, with two OpenAI researchers reported joining the company. Here’s what we know

Meta has been on a hunt for top AI researchers and engineers to empower its new superintelligence lab. The company recently rumoured to hire Apple’s AI head, Ruoming Pang, and now two OpenAI researchers are reported to join Meta. Jason Wei, an AI researcher for OpenAI, who helped develop o3 and deep research models, along with Hyung Won Chung, has become part of Meta’s high-profile hiring. Both AI researchers are reported to be part of Meta’s superintelligence lab. A previous report claimed that Meta is offering thousands of dollars to lure talent, as a move to win the AI race.

Jason Wei and Hyung Won from the OpenAI research team have said to join the social Media giant, Meta. (REUTERS)

By Aishwarya Panda

Aishwarya Panda is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream with nearly 4 years of experience in tech content writing. She is passionate about writing and exploring her interests in the ever-evolving world of technology. She loves to get her hands on new tech products and gadgets, especially in the space of smartphones.

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Meta is hiring AI talent from top companies

According to a Wired report, Meta has hired two AI researchers, Jason Wei and Hyung Won Chung, who previously were working for OpenAI. Jason Wei has been part of OpenAI since 2023, after leaving Google’s Brain research group. Wei has reportedly worked to develop powerful AI models like OpenAI’s oz3 and deep research. On the other hand, Hyung Won Chung worked in a similar team and on projects as Wei. Well, it's not the first time Meta has poached members from a particular team of AI companies.

The social media giant is strategically hiring high-performing research members from top AI competitors like OpenAI, Apple, or those who also previously worked for Google. This move showcases Meta’s urge to supercharge its AI development. Additionally, to attract AI talent, Meta is offering a high compensation package of up to $300 million over a four-year period.

As of now, both companies, including Wei and Chung, have not announced the major shift officially, and we are still waiting for an announcement. It was reported that both employees have deactivated their internal OpenAI Slack profiles, hinting towards their exit. Well, OpenAI is also fighting back as it is also reported to hire top AI talents from companies like Tesla, xAI, and Meta. Therefore, this gives a clear indication of an AI race as competitors try to bring the best minds in the field and head towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).