【环球网科技综合报道】10月11日消息，据CNBC报道，苹果公司正与计算机视觉领域初创企业 Prompt AI 就收购事宜推进 "最后阶段谈判"，计划将后者核心技术及相关人才纳入麾下，此举被业内视为苹果 加码智能家居安全与视觉感知生态建设的重要动作。 据外媒披露，Prompt AI 领导层已于本周四召开全员会议，向员工通报了此次交易的最新进展。会议明 确，交易完成后，部分未能加入苹果的员工将获得相应补偿，同时可申请苹果公司其他空缺岗位；对于 公司投资人，此次交易将使其实现部分资金回收，但无法完全收回前期投资。会议特别要求员工在公开 求职或与外界沟通时，暂不提及苹果公司名称。 来源：环球网 从行业趋势来看，当前硅谷科技巨头普遍通过 "人才收购"（acquihire）模式吸纳 AI 领域优质团队，既 有助于快速提升研发实力，也能在一定程度上规避监管压力。相较于其他巨头的大规模动作，苹果此次 收购规模相对较小。此前，Meta 曾以 143 亿美元投资 Scale AI 并吸纳其创始人及高管团队，谷歌也以 24 亿美元与 Windsurf 达成协议，引入其管理团队并获得技术授权。 回顾苹果发展历程，其在收购策略上一贯 ...

投中网 . 投中网是领先的创新经济信息服务平台，拥有立体化传播矩阵，为创新经济人群提供深入、独到的智识 和洞见，在私募股权投资行业和创新商业领域拥有权威影响力。官网：www.chinaventure.com.cn 以下文章来源于投中网 ，作者黎曼 本文来自微信公众号： 投中网 （ID：China-Venture） ，作者：黎曼，题图来自：AI生成 巨头对顶尖AI人才的极度渴求，促使AI圈内频频发生重金挖人的戏码。 就在过去没多久的7月，硅谷又发生一起AI人才价格创新高的案例。Meta以超过2亿美元将AI奇才庞 若鸣从苹果挖走。这一数字刷新了高管转会的新纪录。有人算过，这个价格远超足球巨星C罗巅峰时 期1.2亿欧元年薪的数字，甚至是苹果CEO库克2024年7460万美元年薪的近乎3倍。 除了"买"下奇才，科技巨头还掀起了巨额"收购AI初创公司创始人"热潮。 2024年3月，估值300亿元的Inflection AI的创始团队加入微软。 2024年6月，亚马逊挖走Adept的核心人才。 2024年9月，亚马逊从机器人AI系统初创公司Covariant挖走了三名联合创始人及约25%的员工。 2024年8月，谷歌开出 ...

将投中网设为"星标⭐"，第一时间收获最新推送 创始人"被挖"后，员工接盘业绩创新高了。 作者丨 黎曼 来源丨 投中网 巨头对顶尖AI人才的极度渴求，促使AI圈内频频发生重金挖人的戏码。 就在过去没多久的7月，硅谷又发生一起AI人才价格创新高的案例。Meta以超过2亿美元将AI奇才庞若鸣从苹果挖走。这一数 字刷新了高管转会的新纪录。有人算过，这个价格远超足球巨星C罗巅峰时期1.2亿欧元年薪的数字，甚至是苹果CEO库克 2024年7460万美元年薪的近乎3倍。 除了"买"下奇才，科技巨头还掀起了巨额"收购AI初创公司创始人"热潮。 2024年3月，估值300亿元的Inflection AI的创始团队加入微软。 2024年6月，亚马逊挖走Adept的核心人才。 2024年9月，亚马逊从机器人AI系统初创公司Covariant挖走了三名联合创始人及约25%的员工。 估值曾达10亿美元的独角兽企业Character.AI的两位创始人Noam Shazeer和Daniel De Freitas及其核心技术团队（约20- 30人），被谷歌以27亿美元的收购协议挖走。 被打包带走的，还包括Character.AI模型的非独家 ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses a new transaction structure in the AI sector termed "HALO," which stands for "Hire And License Out," representing a hybrid model between acquisition and hiring, allowing companies to employ startup teams while licensing their intellectual property [1][5][6]. Group 1: HALO Transaction Characteristics - HALO transactions are characterized by rapid execution, high prices, and are currently unique to the AI industry [3][4]. - Unlike traditional acquihires, the acquiring company does not purchase the startup but hires its personnel and obtains a non-exclusive license for its intellectual property [2][7]. - The financial returns for startup investors and employees are structured to resemble those of an acquisition, with licensing fees set close to acquisition amounts [8][12]. Group 2: Social Contract and Market Dynamics - There are concerns that HALO transactions may disrupt the social contract between founders, investors, and employees, but they are seen as efforts to maintain this contract in a new environment [10][11]. - The rise of HALO transactions is partly attributed to the current antitrust environment, which has made traditional acquisitions more politically charged and uncertain [13][14]. Group 3: Talent Valuation in AI - The article emphasizes that in the AI sector, talent is increasingly valued over traditional assets, with companies willing to pay substantial amounts to secure key teams [16][17]. - The scarcity of experienced talent in AI makes these individuals highly sought after, as the technology itself depreciates rapidly [18][22]. Group 4: Future of HALO and Industry Implications - HALO is viewed as a signal of the evolving focus on human capital over company assets, indicating a shift in market dynamics [25]. - The structure of HALO transactions is still in its infancy and may require further refinement to establish clearer industry norms and improve efficiency [30][31].

Core Insights - Meta has aggressively recruited top AI talent from OpenAI and Apple, with reports indicating at least 14 core researchers have been poached, including 8 Chinese nationals, with signing bonuses totaling $100 million [1][3] - The recruitment strategy has raised concerns among competitors, with OpenAI's Chief Researcher Mark Chen expressing frustration over the talent theft, while Apple has issued internal warnings about the potential risks of falling behind in the AI race [3][10] - The rise of Chinese AI talent is highlighted, with NVIDIA's CEO stating that 50% of global AI researchers are Chinese, emphasizing their significant role in advancing AI development [3][10] Talent Acquisition Trends - The competition for AI talent has reached unprecedented levels, with Meta's $100 million signing bonus for a researcher surpassing previous records in other industries, such as sports [4] - Meta's acquisition of a 49% stake in Scale AI for $14.3 billion is seen as a strategic move to integrate key talent into its AI team, marking a significant shift in talent acquisition strategies within the tech industry [6][8] - Google has also engaged in aggressive talent acquisition, employing a "reverse acquisition" strategy to recruit key personnel from AI startups without full acquisitions, reflecting a new trend in the industry [9] Chinese Talent Dominance - Chinese nationals are increasingly dominating the AI landscape, with a report indicating that the proportion of top AI researchers from China rose from 29% to 47% between 2019 and 2022 [15][16] - Many of the AI talents recruited by Meta are graduates from top Chinese universities, showcasing the strong educational foundation and competitive spirit of Chinese researchers in the AI field [17] - The competitive environment in the U.S. tech industry has led to a perception that top AI talent prefers entrepreneurship over traditional corporate roles, as large companies struggle to attract and retain these individuals [18]

Core Insights - Meta has made a significant investment of $14.3 billion in Scale AI, marking it as the second-largest deal in its history after the $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014 [1] - Initially, Meta attempted to acquire Safe Superintelligence, founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, which was valued at $32 billion during its funding round in April [1] - After the acquisition attempt failed, Meta shifted its strategy to recruit key personnel from Safe Superintelligence, specifically CEO Daniel Gross and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman [2] Company Strategy - Meta's recruitment of Gross and Friedman is part of a "curved rescue" strategy to access core talent and technology resources without direct acquisition [3] - Gross has a notable background, having founded Cue, which was acquired by Apple, and later worked on machine learning and Siri development [2] - Friedman also has a strong profile, having served as CEO of GitHub post-acquisition by Microsoft and co-founding two startups [2] Industry Trends - The trend of high-value talent acquisition is not unique to Meta; OpenAI has also invested approximately $6.5 billion to recruit top talent, including iPhone designer Jony Ive [4] - The competition for AI talent is intense, with reports of Meta offering up to $100 million in signing bonuses to attract OpenAI employees [4][5] - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the fierce competition, indicating that Meta views OpenAI as its primary competitor [5]

Core Viewpoint - Meta has announced a $14.8 billion investment to acquire a 49% non-voting stake in Scale AI, aiming to leverage the expertise of its CEO, Alexandr Wang, to enhance its AI capabilities while avoiding antitrust scrutiny [6][10][11]. Group 1: Acquisition Strategy - Meta's investment in Scale AI marks its second-largest acquisition in history, following the $21 billion purchase of WhatsApp [6]. - The deal reflects Meta's strategy of making high-stakes acquisitions to eliminate competition and strengthen its market position, similar to past acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp [5][6]. - Scale AI's valuation has doubled to $30 billion following Meta's investment, indicating the growing importance of data in the AI sector [8][9]. Group 2: Regulatory Considerations - By acquiring non-voting shares, Meta aims to sidestep potential antitrust investigations that could arise from a full acquisition [10][11]. - The investment structure is seen as a strategic move to avoid regulatory challenges while still gaining significant influence in the AI data supply market [11][12]. - Experts suggest that this approach provides Meta with protection against scrutiny from antitrust authorities, although the FTC may still review the transaction [11][12]. Group 3: Talent Acquisition - The deal is characterized as a "talent acquisition," as it allows Meta to bring Scale AI's CEO, Alexandr Wang, into its leadership team to guide its AI initiatives [13][15]. - Wang's expertise in AI model training and data infrastructure is viewed as critical for Meta to regain its competitive edge in the AI landscape [16]. - Meta's recruitment of Wang is a response to recent talent losses to competitors, highlighting the urgency for the company to bolster its AI capabilities [15][16]. Group 4: Market Dynamics - The investment is expected to create tension among AI giants, as competitors may reconsider their partnerships with Scale AI due to Meta's involvement [12][13]. - Major companies like Google and Microsoft are reportedly reevaluating their contracts with Scale AI, which could shift the competitive landscape in the AI data supply market [12][13]. - Meta's strategic positioning through this investment could lead to a significant reduction in collaboration between Scale AI and its other clients, enhancing Meta's market leverage [12][13].