The AI talent war in Silicon Valley has reached absolutely insane levels. Let me tell you about a 24-year-old AI researcher who negotiated directly with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and landed an astronomical compensation package worth $200 million over four years.
Zuckerberg Personally Enters the Talent War
This summer, Mark Zuckerberg personally called a 24-year-old AI researcher named Matt Deitke. Deitke, a young researcher who had recently co-founded a startup, received an offer to join Meta's "superintelligence" research team. Superintelligence refers to hypothetical technology that would surpass human brain capabilities.
Meta's initial offer was around $100 million over four years (including cash and stock). But Deitke declined, saying he wanted to stay with his startup. That's when Zuckerberg stepped in personally, requesting a face-to-face meeting, and Meta came back with a revised proposal: approximately $200 million over four years, with up to $80 million paid in the first year alone.
This dramatic jump in compensation surprised even Deitke, who sought advice from his colleagues. After extensive discussions, his peers encouraged him to accept the offer, and ultimately Deitke decided to join Meta.
20-Something Researchers Getting NBA Star Treatment
This isn't just an isolated case. Silicon Valley's AI talent war is starting to resemble the NBA star recruitment market. AI researchers in their twenties are being treated like Stephen Curry or LeBron James, negotiating nine-figure compensation packages spread over multiple years.
What's particularly interesting is that these young researchers are employing informal agents and advisors to strategize their negotiations. Just like basketball players shopping around for the best deals between teams, AI researchers are aggressively negotiating with companies to secure top-tier treatment.
The Madness Created by the AI Boom
This phenomenon stems from the generative AI boom. Since ChatGPT's emergence, every major tech company has jumped into the AI race, creating explosive demand for key talent. Experts in large language models (LLMs) and superintelligence research have literally become worth their weight in gold.
The problem is that the number of people capable of conducting this level of AI research is extremely limited worldwide. The pool of PhD-level researchers from top universities like Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon is finite, while companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI are all competing for the same talent. This naturally drives prices through the roof.
Expert Perspective on the Problems
Looking at this phenomenon, several concerning issues emerge. First, is this excessive compensation system actually sustainable? NBA players have clear performance metrics (points, assists, championships), but AI research results are difficult to measure in the short term. Fields like "superintelligence" are still largely theoretical, making it uncertain whether they'll translate into actual business value.
Second, there's the impact this talent concentration will have on the broader AI ecosystem. When big tech companies monopolize talent with astronomical compensation, startups and academic institutions with limited capital will find it even harder to attract researchers. This could ultimately harm the diversity of AI innovation.
Implications for Korea's AI Ecosystem
This global AI talent war offers important lessons for Korea. While Korean companies like Naver, Kakao, and Samsung are entering the AI competition, they realistically can't compete with global big tech companies on compensation levels.
But competing purely on money isn't necessary. Korea's strengths—fast decision-making, flexible organizational culture, and diverse platforms for applying AI to real services—can provide significant competitive advantages. For young researchers especially, the actual impact their research has on users might be more important than simple compensation.
Future Outlook and Concerns
The current AI talent market is clearly showing bubble characteristics. Whether this is simply a bubble or a rational investment reflecting AI's future value remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: if this overheating continues, it could harm the overall health of the AI industry. If researchers focus only on short-term compensation, there's a risk they'll abandon long-term, fundamental research in favor of immediately profitable applied research.
In conclusion, the AI talent war currently unfolding in Silicon Valley demonstrates both the importance and potential of this field, while also revealing excessive speculative characteristics. We've reached an era where 24-year-old researchers command $200 million, but whether this phenomenon actually helps AI development is questionable. What matters shouldn't be money, but creating AI that benefits humanity. However, realistically, we need to acknowledge these market conditions and develop the best strategies from our respective positions.
*Source: The New York Times, "A.I. Researchers Are Negotiating $250 Million Pay Packages. Just Like NBA Stars." (July 31, 2025)*.