In a high-profile talent acquisition, Meta has successfully poached Ruoming Pang, the executive who previously led Apple’s AI models team. According to a report from Bloomberg, the deal Meta offered to Pang is among the most lucrative seen so far in the ongoing AI talent wars, a compensation package reportedly worth over $200 million ( ₹1712 crore), spread across several years.
A deal too big to match
The offer, which includes a base salary, signing bonus, and a substantial portion of Meta stock, was described as one Apple simply could not or would not match. Sources indicate that the equity component forms the bulk of the deal, structured to vest over time, a standard approach to retain top talent in Silicon Valley.
Meta’s aggressive move comes amid growing competition among tech giants to attract leading AI researchers. The reported figure notably exceeds Apple CEO Tim Cook’s annual compensation, underlining the importance Meta places on growing its Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) division.
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In contrast to public comments made by Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth, who recently dismissed claims of widespread poaching with exorbitant offers, the size of Pang’s deal raises questions. Just days earlier, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had alleged that rival firms were offering $100 million to lure his researchers away, a claim Bosworth labelled as “dishonest”.
Apple Reshuffles After Departure
Following Pang’s departure, Apple has promoted Zhifeng Chen to lead its Foundation Models team, while restructuring the department to share responsibilities among other senior engineers. Despite the change in leadership, the company remains quiet about its internal AI strategy, even as rivals make headlines with high-profile hires and investments.
Bloomberg also suggests that Pang’s exit might not be the last, with several engineers from Apple’s AI division reportedly considering similar offers or preparing to leave.
This development signals just how intense the competition has become in the field of generative AI, and how far companies like Meta are willing to go to secure a lead.