Latest news with #TML
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Billion-dollar 'no': Career lessons from Mira Murati's AI dream team and Zuckerberg's failed talent raid
Career lessons from Mira Murati's AI dream team and Zuckerberg's failed talent raid Mark Zuckerberg 's Meta allegedly dangled billion-dollar compensation packages to poach top talent from Mira Murati's AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab (TML). A Wired report claimed Meta reached out to over a dozen TML staffers, with one offer reportedly topping $1 billion. Interestingly, no one accepted the offers, claimed Murati in an interaction with Wired. Meta's comms director Andy Stone quickly threw cold water on the narrative, telling Wired: 'We made offers only to a handful of people at TML and while there was one sizable offer, the details are off. At the end of the day, this all begs the question who is spinning this narrative and why.' So, what really happened between Zuckerberg's Meta and Murati's TML? The truth may never fully surface, but this much is clear: in the middle of AI's gold rush, money alone isn't the ultimate magnet for genius. And for students dreaming of a future in tech, this high-stakes drama packs more than a few lessons. Here are five of them. Lesson 1: Build skills no money can outbid TML's researchers didn't flinch even at billion-dollar whispers. Their expertise in AGI, safety frameworks, and frontier AI modelling is so rare that companies fight over them—but talent this sharp knows that value isn't only about cash. A true craftsman doesn't sell his tools to the highest bidder, he chooses where his skills can shape the future. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Career takeaway: Learn to master skills that the market can't mass-produce. If your expertise is unique, you set the terms—not the recruiter waving a fat cheque. Lesson 2: Purpose-driven careers outlive fat bonuses TML isn't just a lab, it's a manifesto for building safe, responsible AI. Employees stayed because they were building something history might remember—not just another algorithm for ad clicks. Career takeaway: Pick battles worth fighting. A job that aligns with your values will pay dividends no bonus ever could. Lesson 3: Scarce expertise is your strongest leverage Whether Meta's numbers were inflated or not, one fact is clear: Elite AI talent holds all the cards. When you become one of the few who can solve problems others can't, you gain the power to say no, even to billion-dollar offers, and still sleep well at night. Career takeaway: Don't chase every job; make yourself the person jobs chase. Scarcity of skill is leverage money can't match. Lesson 4: Culture and leadership outweigh the pay slip Reports hinted that Meta's AI vision didn't inspire trust inside TML's walls. No sum can compensate for a culture that doesn't fit, a mission that feels hollow, or leadership that lacks clarity. Talent doesn't just seek titles—it seeks trust. Career takeaway: Do your due diligence. Don't trade your mental bandwidth for a bigger pay slip. Lesson 5: Calculated risk can outrun safe comfort zones Rejecting billion-dollar offers sounds insane only if you measure success in annual pay. TML's team is playing the long game—betting on equity, intellectual freedom, and the chance to rewrite the AI rulebook. Career takeaway: Early in your career, a bold, risky move can be the smartest one you make. Sometimes the safe option is the one that keeps you small. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
NDTV
31-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
No One From Team Accepted Meta's Big Offer: AI Lab Founder Mira Murati
Every member of Mira Murati's 50-person AI startup unanimously rejected massive recruitment offers from Meta, the Thinking Machines Lab founder has revealed. Mark Zuckerberg's Meta reportedly approached multiple researchers at Thinking Machines Lab (TML) with unprecedented compensation packages in an aggressive bid to poach top AI talent for their Superintelligence Labs. These offers ranged from $200 million to a staggering $1 billion over a multi-year period, with a mix of salary and stock options vested over four years. Ms Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, confirmed that despite the huge sums involved, not a single member of her team accepted Meta's proposal. "So far at Thinking Machines Lab, not a single person has taken the offer," she said, as per Wired. One researcher was offered $1 billion alone, while several others received proposals between $200 million and $500 million. Meta's communication director, Andy Stone, disagrees with Ms Murati's statement. He said that the tech giant made offers to only a handful of people at Thinking Machines Lab, not the entire team. He admitted that even though Meta made "one sizeable offer", he claimed the rest of the figures being reported aren't accurate. Mr Stone said, "The details are off. This all begs the question, who is spinning this narrative and why?" Even though Ms Murati's startup hasn't released any product yet, it has raised funds at a $12 billion valuation. TML has already become very popular and closely followed in the AI world. Earlier this month, Ms Murati announced that her startup has raised $2 billion in new funding and will launch its first product "in the next couple of months," according to CNBC. "The company's first product will include an open source component for researchers and other startups," she added. Meta officially launched Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) on June 30 to consolidate its AI research efforts under a single subsidiary, led by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and ex-GitHub chief Nat Friedman. Meta has been aggressively recruiting researchers from top competitors, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Apple.
Economic Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Poaching war: Staff at Mira Murati's AI startup reject Meta's advances
Agencies Over a dozen staff at Mira Murati's artificial intelligence (AI) startup, Thinking Machines Lab (TML), have been approached or offered jobs by Meta, according to a report by per the report, despite the generous offers, none of the 50 people on Murati's team have accepted. One source told Wired that one of those offers was worth more than $1 billion over several years, while others ranged from $200 million to $500 million across four years. In the first year alone, some were guaranteed between $50 million and $100 million. Meta's response Meta has pushed back on some of these claims.'We made offers only to a handful of people at TML and while there was one sizable offer, the details are off,' Meta communications director Andy Stone said in a statement to Wired. "At the end of the day, this all begs the question: who is spinning this narrative and why.' While Meta may have missed the mark with this one, it has already recruited a host of leading experts from major firms such as OpenAI, Google, Apple, and others. This development comes shortly after Thinking Machines Lab raised $2 billion in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, which valued the company at $12 billion. The funding is remarkable given that the company only launched in February and has no revenue or products yet. It underlines Murati's strong influence in a sector where competition for top AI executives is fierce. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Zomato delivered, but did the other listed unicorns? Tata Motors' INR38k crore Iveco buy: Factors that can make investors nervous Trump tariffs: End of road or a new journey ending Russia reliance? As rates slide, who will grab the savings pie? MFs, insurers? Is it time for Tim Cook to bid bye to Apple? Regulators promote exchanges; can they stifle one? Watch IEX Stock Radar: Down over 20% from highs! Varun Beverages stock showing signs of trend reversal – time to buy? History tells us 'Hold' is equal to wealth creation: 11 large- and mid-cap stocks from different sectors with upside potential of up to 37% In some cases parentage equals 'management with ability': 5 mid-caps from different sectors, which tick the right box Multibagger or IBC - Part 17: Margins are slim. Promoters are all in. Is this small cap the ultimate contrarian bet?
Hans India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Meta's Billion-Dollar AI Talent Hunt Hits a Wall at Mira Murati's Startup
Meta's relentless push to dominate the AI race is facing unexpected resistance. After assembling a high-powered team of researchers and pouring billions into its Superintelligence unit, the tech giant's latest attempt to lure top minds has hit a roadblock—at Thinking Machines Lab (TML), the startup led by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. According to a recent Wired report, Meta has been attempting to recruit staff from Murati's year-old company, offering eye-watering compensation packages. Mark Zuckerberg himself is reportedly sending initial feelers—starting with a casual WhatsApp message—followed by fast-tracked interviews with top Meta executives, including CTO Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth. One senior researcher was allegedly offered over $1 billion spread across several years, while others were promised hundreds of millions, with first-year payouts ranging from $50 to $100 million. Still, not a single TML employee has accepted the offer so far. Meta officially claims that its recruitment approach isn't as aggressive as rumoured, but the scale of outreach and the jaw-dropping numbers suggest otherwise. For now, the effort has yielded little beyond industry chatter. Founded in 2024, TML has yet to release a product but is already valued at $12 billion, thanks to a historic seed funding round. While Meta leans on open-source disruption and heavy spending, Murati's team is reportedly driven by mission and vision rather than monetary gain. Speaking on this broader strategy, Demis Hassabis, CEO and cofounder of DeepMind, commented, 'There's a strategy that Meta is taking right now. I think the people who 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, so they can help influence how that plays out and steward the technology safely into the world.' Even with a headcount of nearly two dozen top researchers, Meta's Superintelligence Labs is being closely scrutinized by the AI community. Some insiders view the lab as a hotbed of talent but lacking clear direction. Others are withholding judgment, watching to see whether Meta can convert its big bet into something transformative. Despite lagging behind OpenAI in releasing groundbreaking models, Meta aims to upend the space by open-sourcing its AI systems. This "commoditize everything" approach is designed to undercut rivals like ChatGPT, but it hasn't been without internal controversy. Reports claim that Meta's Llama 4 model faced performance issues and was launched amid benchmarking disputes meant to make it appear stronger than it was. Still, Meta is banking on the idea that once its vision solidifies, the world's best AI minds will come around. For now, however, Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab stands as a quiet but firm symbol of purpose over profit—and proof that in today's AI gold rush, loyalty and mission may still outshine billion-dollar offers.
India Today
30-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Meta reportedly targeted ex-OpenAI CTO's startup with Billion-Dollar AI poaching spree, no takers yet
Mark Zuckerberg has launched a full-scale raid on the world's best AI researchers, pouring billions into Meta's newly created Superintelligence unit, but so far, not everyone is biting. After making waves by luring a handful of senior researchers away from OpenAI earlier this year, Zuckerberg has now turned his attention to Thinking Machines Lab (TML), the one-year-old startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira to the Wired report, Meta has reached out to roughly 50 employees with its dangling packages worth billions of dollars. One senior researcher was reportedly offered a deal worth more than $1 billion spread over several years, while others were promised hundreds of millions, and even in the very first year, payouts running between $50 and $100 the dizzying sums on the table, not a single one of the TML team has jumped ship. Meta's official line is that it hasn't been quite as aggressive as the gossip makes it sound. But according to the reports, the process begins with a quiet WhatsApp message from Zuckerberg himself. Then comes a rapid-fire sequence of interviews: a long one-on-one with the CEO, followed by meetings with Meta's technology chief Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth and other senior executives. The sales pitch is straightforward, join Meta and help build the next generation of AI assistants, open models and digital tools that, at least on paper, could reach billions. Meta's plan is as strategic as it is technical. According to the top tech leaders, this trick to buy its way up is somewhat rational. In a recent interview, DeepMind's cofounder and chief executive, Demis Hassabis, described Mark Zuckerberg's tactics as 'rational' but also suggested that those motivated purely by money are unlikely to be the ones shaping the future of believes the deeper motivation for top scientists goes beyond pay cheques. 'There's a strategy that Meta is taking right now,' he told Bloomberg. 'I think the people who 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, so they can help influence how that plays out and steward the technology safely into the world.'The company knows it trails OpenAI in producing headline-grabbing models, so it hopes to disrupt the market by open-sourcing its systems, a move designed to flood the industry with free tools that directly challenge the likes of ChatGPT. Internally, this 'commoditise everything' playbook has already caused friction. Llama 4, Meta's latest AI family, was hurried out the door after months of performance struggles, and reports say it was released amid controversy about benchmarking tricks that made it look stronger than it there is, of course, also the money factor, or rather, the fact that these days, enormous sums are on offer across the industry. At TML, that money comes with a sense of purpose. The startup, valued at $12 billion after a record-breaking seed round, has yet to release a product, but it's awash with the AI universe, Meta's new unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs, has become a lightning rod for gossip. Some industry voices are openly sceptical, dismissing it as a collection of oversized egos with no clear plan. Others, more cautious, are taking a wait-and-see is now a billion-dollar experiment in whether raw money and open-source disruption can close the gap with OpenAI. The lab has already recruited nearly two dozen researchers, with Zuckerberg betting that a critical mass of top-tier minds will eventually flock to Meta once the vision becomes clear. The coming months will be a test of whether MSL can transform from a splashy headhunt into an influential AI powerhouse, or remain just another reminder that money, even billions, can't always buy ambition.- EndsMust Watch
